


The Monstrous Hero: Goliath

by 3wolves



Category: Evolve (Video Game), 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Alternate Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, BAMF Midoriya Izuku, Bakugou Katsuki Swears A Lot, Bakugou Katsuki needs a slap, Dorca (Dad Orca), F/M, How do i write action scenes, I looked and this is the ONLY fic with Inko/Orca, Just one quirk though, Midoriya Izuku Does Not Have One for All Quirk, Midoriya Izuku Has a Quirk, Midoriya Izuku Needs A Hug, Monster Midoriya Izuku, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Skyrim Cameo, Tags Are Hard, Well first one anyways, guess what?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:34:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 36
Words: 128,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22678069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/3wolves/pseuds/3wolves
Summary: There are thousands of strings, little lines of red yarn stretching from countless windows and mirrors, each one showing a different take on a world. From one green haired boy's journey to become the greatest hero, thousands of stories began. Sometimes the greatest moments in history can be traced back to single points in time. Just one difference in the events, and the timeline drastically diverges, like a butterfly flapping its wings. . .Midoriya Izuku was born with a quirk. It appears to be a mutation, sporting black ridged armor plates along his arms, shoulders, and back, plus sharp claws and a thick tail. Strange cravings and an enormous appetite lead to a childhood incident, forever marking him as a monstrous villain to his once childhood friend.Resolute in his desire to become a hero no matter what, an unexpected encounter with a black and white pro might give Izuku the chance he needs to prove, to the world and himself:Monsters can be heroes too.
Relationships: Asui Tsuyu/Midoriya Izuku, Bakugou Katsuki & Midoriya Izuku, Midoriya Inko/Sakamata Kuugo | Gang Orca, Midoriya Izuku & Sakamata Kuugo | Gang Orca
Comments: 1299
Kudos: 1920
Collections: Izuku is a good monster boy





	1. Chapter 1: Nestling

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome to my first Fanfic! Apologies for the amateur writing, but I hope you like it! I'll try my best to get some sort of semi-regular schedule for posting if I'm not booed off stage by the third chapter.  
> *Nervous laughter*  
> Anyways! Enjoy this hot garbage!  
> Also, if it helps visuals, look up stage one Goliath from Evolve. That's what Izuku's (current) features look like.  
> Disclaimer: I do not own anything from BNHA or Evolve. The only thing i own is the plot, Original characters, and the will to make a story!

**Chapter 1: Nestling**

Midoriya Izuku woke up in a cold sweat, blinking as he tried to sort out the remains of a strange dream. Blearily, the four year old pulled himself to the side of his bed, pushing the All-Might themed blanket off his body to sit on the edge. Stretching, the boy groaned at the stiffness in his shoulders, making little grunts as he tried to twist in an effort to relieve it. _"That's weird, I shouldn't be so sore. Kacchan and I didn't play that rough yesterday. Maybe I hit my shoulder when-"_ The boy's train of thought made a spectacular, and fiery derailment when his reaching hand came into contact with his shoulder.

Beneath the fabric of his pajamas, Izuku could feel a strange, stiff protrusion that seemed to run across his shoulder blade and down his arm. Bringing said arm up to look at, he squinted at the kinda lumpy look of his sleeve. . . then blinked as he realized he could see the arm at all, despite his All-Might night light (Limited edition, bought by his mom for his fourth birthday) being turned off! Izuku slowly started to wiggle in excitement, the only solution to his predicament becoming clear. HE GOT HIS QUIRK! 

The boy squealed in happiness, only to clamp his hand over his mouth, unwilling to wake his mom even over something as huge as his quirk. With another giggle, he quickly pulls his pajama top up and off, dropping it to the floor as he stood up and tried to examine himself, his lips moving as his (someday to be iconic) muttering habit kicked in.

"Okay, so I have night vision, and strange things on my arms and back. They're hard but not sharp, feels kinda like bone maybe? But softer, more bendy somehow. Maybe like toughened skin for armor? My nails can't break it, but- Wait wait wait, my nails!" The boy looks at his fingertips, only just now noticing the pointed tips of claws curled over them, the color much darker than his nails used to be. Poking his skin where his armor wasn't, Izuku giggled at the strange feeling having short, almost stubby claws gave his fingers, before mumbling some

"Cool! I have claws and weird skin armor. Maybe I'm like a tiger, But tigers don't have armor, so a turtle tiger? Tigle? Oh! I should look in the mirror!" He jumped up from the bed again, moving on short legs to the door of his room and hurrying quietly to the bathroom, though not without another excited wiggle and giggle. Opening and closing the door, Izuku grabbed his stool his mother bought him and stood in front of the mirror... Then frowned. While the small amount of light beneath the door gave some illumination, he was dissatisfied with the glimpses he was getting (but his eyes glowed! Like cat eyes!), and flipped the switch, strangling a yelp as the sudden light assaulted his sensitive peepers. When he finally managed to open watery eyes, the discomfort was soon forgotten in favor of wonder. At this point, the changes weren't too major for the young boy, but they were certainly noticeable.

First and foremost, Izuku's shoulders and back were covered in a light grey, fading towards black on the armors edge, the thick plating overlapping and flexible enough that it didn't hinder movement too much. The pattern was repeated on both outer forearms, providing what looked like (really cool! At least that's what he thought) bracers. His hands were a little too thick, knuckles a bit more prominent before reaching the ends of his claw tipped fingers. Along his neck, Izuku could see discoloration matching his armor, though when he touched it it felt far softer, more like a lizards skin he noted idly. Also, why did he feel the strangest sensation of needing to cough but not really? Oh well.

As he took stock in the mirror, mumblestorm at maximum velocity, the boy became steadily aware of another feeling: Hunger. Despite eating the absolutely delicious Katsudon his mother made last night, Izuku felt like he hadn't eaten in days. "Maybe there's some leftovers i can eat..." He murmured to himself as he flicked off the light, opened the bathroom door, and walked into the kitchen. Sniffing the air, the boy could faintly smell the scent of his mother's cooking from last night, and knew there was more in the fridge. Also, he noted on the side that he somehow knew his mother was in her room, tossing in bed as she dreamt, but that could wait! " _Food now, weird super smell later!"_ He thought whimsically, his tail wagging side to side as he opened the fridge door to rummage inside it for that delicious Katsudon.

. . . . . Wait, HE HAD A TAIL?!?

Midoriya Inko had learned to expect many things when it came to raising a child. Especially a child like her beloved Izuku, bright and always so curious. She expected Izuku to ask strange questions, maybe even ones she didnt know the answer to. She expected his pleas for the newest hero merch, along with his almost unbeatable puppy dog eyes. She expected his inevitable answer to her question of what to eat, the food Katsudon taking on almost religious importance in the boys life it seemed. 

She did not expect to wake up from a restful sleep, mother senses tingling, to find her son's room door open and sounds of chewing and rattling from the fridge. She did not expect to round the corner, flip the light switch and see a black tail attached to a small creature in the fridge feasting on her produce and ingredients. She most certainly did not expect that creature to be her son, turning at her noise of surprise with a half eaten piece of pork chop (Raw pork!) Hanging from his mouth full of sharp teeth in a happy grin, who then promptly snapped the rest of it up in a single gulp and exclaimed with glowing green eyes, "Kaa-san! I got my quirk!"

Thus it is completely understandable that Midoriya Inko responded to these unexpected events with a reasonable action: Fainting dead away, as Izuku squeaked and tried to catch her.

"Kaa-san!!"


	2. Chapter 2: Growing up is hard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ten years later, Izuku has it kinda rough.  
> We take a look at his lot, and how it got this bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I maybe got a little excited, and couldn't sleep. What else could i do but get the second chapter out?

**Chapter 2: Growing up is hard**

The sounds of a city in the morning are hardly what one could call peaceful. Car engines, horns, hundred upon hundreds upon thousands of people all trying to get to where they need to go in the shortest time possible. It all combined to make the perfect recipe for a whammy of a headache, especially for someone with enhanced senses. It's with this in mind, that Midoriya Izuku chose the nature park as his place of early morning contemplation.

Yawning, the greenette scratched the side of his neck almost lazily, one leg dangling off the branch he was currently sprawled across. Below him, the only other creatures in the park were some squirrels, the ducks on the nearby pond, and a pair of joggers methodically plodding along the paved trail, the dark-skinned woman holding the lead to a rather large and surprisingly friendly looking mutt, while the older man looked like he'd smoked cigars since he could talk, shot whiskey like water, and ran an interplanetary group of mercs for hire that made a living out of killing monsters. . . but that was probably his over active imagination playing up again, Izuku thought with a sharp toothed grin.

Physically, the years have been kind to the black armored green bean. His hide had grown thicker, the plates expanding as he aged, until his back, arms, and legs were almost completely covered by the flexible protection. His tail had grown considerably longer, and more agile (though he could do without it misbehaving, as if it had a mind of its own). The thicker grey across his shoulder blades was dotted with mostly symmetrical bumps, and ridges that traveled down his spine to his tail. His claws were long amd sharp as always, but he'd mastered the art of gripping something without cutting or piercing it long ago. It only took one limited edition hoodie turned into a modern art equivalent of Swiss cheese for that lesson to become a priority. Last but least, the boy sported a physique that rivaled most amateur body builders, thick neck and bulging arms usually hidden under a loose jacket or hoodie when he could manage it.

While his body had blossomed, not all was well in paradise. A fact that had led to this self imposed meditation, Izuku mused with a snort, His mind wandering over the time after he had received his quirk while he tried to rub away the pain of a cracked armor plate on his arm, scorched burn marks surrounding the shattered hide...

_Ten years prior, Day after the 'Fridgebeast'_

When his mother had eventually woken up, on the couch to her surprise, she was caught somewhere between excited, distraught, and amused as she was chattered at by her hyperactive son. Izuku had immediately attempted to move her to a more comfortable resting place than the kitchen floor, and apparently had been strong enough to do so with only a little extra effort, to his glee. Eventually she got the story out between gushing about the parts he'd discovered, apologies for scaring her, and the adorable boy's distraction every time his highly expressive tail would catch his attention. Then, in true Midoriya fashion, the two of them shed happy tears at the development of her baby's quirk.

When the waterworks had eventually run dry, she immediately set about making sure that her son's health was taken care of. Calling in to work and Izuku's daycare, she scheduled an early appointment with a quirk specialist to make sure there weren't any complications from its manifestation. After a hearty breakfast, consisting mostly of Izuku voraciously gulping down four bowls of Mighty Crunch cereal while she watches wide eyed, the two of them packed up into the car. Izuku briefly had trouble when it became apparent that his tail didn't like being crammed between the seat and seat back, much to his mother's amusement, but settled for curling around slightly to lean sideways, his new limb waving happily as he bounced in place.

An hour and a half later, the two sat in the doctor's office, awaiting the results of the various quirk tests. Izuku was allowed to bring one of his action figures, so he was happy as a clam to act out how he and All-Might would team up to fight the big scary villains, and save ALL the people! The doctor arrived in time to see an adorably posing child, one hand raised with toy in grip and tail wagging furiously. After the obligatory laughter and motherly teasing, the doctor shuffled some papers before speaking.

"Well now, Mrs. Midoriya, and Izuku. Your quirk is quite amazing, if i do say so myself." He humphed a bit with a smile while Izuku turned to his mother excitedly, talking quickly.

"Hear that Kaa-san?? My quirk is amazing, I'm gonna be the best hero!" The doctor waited for him to calm slightly before continuing.

"Yes, well I wouldn't be surprised. Your son's quirk appears to be a hybrid Mutant and Transformation quirk, ma'am." Inko frowned a bit at that, but motioned him to continue, choosing to wait until the end to question. "His body has undergone rapid changes, including the dermal buildups that form his 'armor', the claws plus teeth, and of course the tail. Those are just the visible changes too. Tell me, has your son been showing any signs of increased appetite or other strange behavior?"

"Yes, to the appetite. I just assumed it was him being very hungry after his quirk appeared." Inko spoke thoughtfully, her hand reaching out to grasp Izuku's reassuringly, though the child seemed perfectly at ease, even excited. "Other than that, and the fact I found him eating raw pork from the fridge, I havent noticed anything unusual."

The Doc nodded, writing down further notes as he followed up. "That's to be expected. It seems that Young Izuku's quirk used and is still using a lot of energy to make the rapid, radical changes to his body we're seeing. As for the raw pork, I think it's safe to saw that his digestive system has changed as well. I hypothesize that your boy has the ability to eat practically anything organic without suffering any I'll effects, most likely to maximize the available food sources to gain energy from." 

Inko was nodding along following most of the explanation, while Izuku's face was screwed up in concentration. Smart as he was, he was still only four years and some change old. But bless him if he didn't try his best. "So... I can eat whatever i want and not get sick?"

Laughing loudly, the doctor replied. "Maybe not quite, but you can definitely eat things that wouldn't be safe for others to. Tell me my boy, have you noticed anything else?" The boy thought about it, before squeaking happily. 

"I can smell real good!"

"Really? How good is that?" 

Izuku grinned and threw his hands wide. "I can see with my nose! . . . kinda."

"Hmmm. As in you can smell people and things as well, you can tell exactly where they are?" 

"Mhmm!! And what they're doing!"

"Absolutely fascinating..." The doctor muttered to himself, writing furiously on his board while Izuku beamed. Inko shook her head, settling down for lengthy doctor visit. At least they didn't charge hourly.

_Present day_

_"HAWOOOOOOO!!!"_

_**fear/surprise/threat/hide!** _

The sudden tree shaking howl from beneath him roused Izuku violently from memory lane, startling him badly enough that he fell with a squawk, saving himself only by latching on to the brand with one clawed hand. The sudden flood of emotions from what he had both lovingly and exasperatedly dubbed his 'tailmind' certainly hadn't helped either. Looking down, Izuku could see that the large dog had somehow gotten away from its owner. It was standing with front paws on the tree, large tongue lolling out as it seemed to smile up at him before letting out another resounding 'boof'.

"Daisy! Damnit, I told you to stop chasing... People?" The dark skinned woman looked nonplussed as she stared up at the green haired teen hanging from a tree. For his part, Izuku just giggled and waved with his free hand, drawing a laugh from the older woman. She quickly managed to reclaim her dog, apologizing profusely while doing so, which the boy insisted was unnecessary.

After sorting everything out, the woman left to rejoin the older man, who stood watching from the trail, amusement written on his face. The tailed greenette shook his head again with a smile before pulling himself up by one hand to grab his yellow backpack from where it had been safely lodged in the crook of the branch before dropping down to the ground about fifteen feet below. In the distance, as he dusted himself off, he could still hear the fading voices of the joggers leaving, the old man speaking first. "You know, i told you we should get a better leash for your pooch."

"Shut it Cabot!" Izuku smiles as he hefts his backpack, stretching for his walk to school. The smile slowly fades as he starts his walk, shoulders hunching in and tail slowing until it was a mere shadow of it's former playful self. After all, if he didn't stand out, the chances of a beating were reduced by nearly half, he attempted at optimism before sighing.

"Maybe Kacchan will be in a good mood today."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first attempt at writing Fan fiction. Criticism is welcome, but if you don't like it, then just dont read it! Thanks for your time!


	3. Chapter 3: Too cool for this school

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku goes to class,  
> Another glimpse into the past  
> Explodo tries to kick his ass,  
> Monster bean gives back sass,  
> Another red thread comes in at last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thinking is good for continuing the story! Overthinking is bad, and my eternal Kryptonite. But anyways, here's wonder-. . . uh, chapter 3.

**Chapter 3: Too cool for this School**

Izuku swore the clock hand was moving slower each time he looked at it, biting back a growl with every glance. His impatience warred with the bubbling anxiety beneath the surface as he struggled to ignore the two red, glaring eyes framed beneath spiky blonde hair of his _**friend/foe/hunter/fear-bringer**_ childhood friend turned bully. With a powerful explosion quirk, combat intuition to spare, and a built in charisma, Bakugou Katsuki is, and always had been, a shoe-in for heroics. A fact that everyone in his life had shared and encouraged since his quirk's appearance, much to the detriment of literally everybody else in his age group, especially his former best friend.

The boy shifted in his seat, taking a moment to ensure that his tail wasn't misbehaving again, needing only one lecture on appropriate quirk conduct after the wayward limb found it's way between somebody's legs. The ensuing pileup of bodies was still a well told story amidst the halls of Aldera middle school, and he had no desire to start a new legend because his quirk couldn't keep himself to himself. Afterwards, he focused back on the teacher's words in an attempt to stay busy, fingers twirling his pencil as he hunches down in his seat to keep his six foot two frame as small as possible, hoping beyond hope that his tormentor might take the act of submission as it was meant and leave him alone after the bell. Izuku couldn't help but wonder when everything went wrong with the boy he still to this day looked up to, his tail slowly starting to wave back and forth as the memories flow through his mind.

_-Eight years ago, Izuku age 6-_

"Oi Deku! Hurry up, we're gonna be late to patrol!" 

The young boy looked up from tying his shoes at the loud call from his friend, grinning as he calls out an acknowledgement and hurries to finish. Izuku shouts goodbye to his mother before closing the door behind him with a slam, scurrying around the corner fast enough to skid on his way to the stairs. Below on the street, Katsuki was waiting impatiently, foot tapping and palms cracking like snap dragons when the greenette appears on the curb. "What took you so long loser? C'mon, those sidekick extras are gonna beat us there at this rate!" He belts out before turning to run towards their favorite park, the younger boy yelping out before taking off after him. The two were off to meet with the other members of 'The Bakugou Hero Agency', and go on patrol through the forest trails looking for devious villains to foil.

Thirty minutes later, the five children were marching along the forest trail, in cadence to Bakugou's singing as they happily kept the peace. Ahead of them, a log stretched across a small river, the boys not even slowing as they approached it-

~~**_The sound of a small wing flapping, a red string_ ** **_snapping_ ** ~~

-when Izuku's head shot up in alarm, his nose twitching as something flared in his head, the black and white image crouched just below the edge of the drop. Reaching out, the boy cried out, trying to warn his friend of the _**danger/danger/foe!**_ "Kacchan! Wait, look out!" The blonde's head started to turn, mouth opening before a vicious snarl cut him off. Leaping up the incline to the river, a four legged shape lurched forward towards the boys, jaws opened wide and flinging spittle, causing the explosive kid to cry out in fear as his quirk went off, a loud bang startling whatever it was into missing its pounce with a yelp.

Shuffling together in fear, the kids looked on in terror as the dog stood back up, snarling with hackles raised. The hound was clearly malnourished, ribs visible in his pathetically thin frame, but no less threatening for it. Izuku could tell it was starving, desperate enough to attack even a large like theirs (not sure how he knew that, but trusting the instincts thundering in his head.) Katsuki, despite his obvious fear stood fast, gripping the stick he was waving moments ago in two trembling hands. Swinging it back and forth at the mutt, he yelled loudly. "Back! Get back you damn dog! Fuck off! (The thought crossed Izuku's mind that he shouldn't be swearing) I- I won't warn you again!" The dog just growled louder and took another step, barely flinching at the swishing branch.

Izuku sniffled as his tail lashed back and forth wildly. The sounds of the dog were so loud, the crying of the other kids like sirens in his ears, and the snapping pops lighting up his eyes like stars. The _**fear/danger/enemy/hunter**_ stalked closer, while his head pounded like a drum, sight wavering between normal and a darker, almost tunnel-like vision. Then it leapt again, Kacchan's yell and swish-thwack, yelping, snarling and biting, ripping tearing sound, _"Oh god, Kacchan's screaming! Blood, it smells like blood, he's bleeding!"_ Was the last thought to pass through his head, as a gash of crimson on his best friend's upper arm filled his vision, eyes dilating wide before. . . Nothing.

.

.

.

_**FEAST** _

When Izuku came to, he groaned loudly, his arms and neck so very sore. Memory rushed in quickly after, and he whipped around to look for his friend. Katsuki stood across the small clearing watching him with wide eyes, an unknown emotion filling them, the three others varying between crouching behind him and lying on the ground crying. The boy's eyes lit up as he stepped towards his friends, "Kacchan! You're okay-" Only to be stopped by a loud pop from the blonde's hand.

"St-Stay back! Dont come any closer, you- you- you MONSTER!" Katsuki's voice broke as he held his palms out towards the greenette in warning. Izuku immediately felt tears welling up in his eyes, reaching out towards his friend with a question on his tongue.

"Ka-... Kacchan, it's me. Wh-wh-what do you mean mon-" Only to be stopped by the sight of his arm. The boy's hand was misshapen, longer than normal fingers tipped by jet black claws, and his skin covered in the same dark grey hide as his back, traveling up his arm. But the transformed limb was only noted in passing, as he was far more concerned by the massive red stain on his limb. So much red, _"Is that... blood?"_ it covered his arm and hand, dripping from his claws with a slow methodical sound, landing in a puddle of the stuff beneath him with a ripple, drawing his eyes downwards where he blanched and stumbled back in horror. The dog was... gone. Beneath him in a pile was broken bones, small bits of flesh, and a huge drying bloodstain. His hand immediately shot to his mouth, the sight sending a ripple of nausea through his stomach, where he encountered a new sensation. His jaw was different, felt strange beneath his hand, almost like it was wider, hinged strangely with gaps on the sides, and large teeth unhidden by lips. More importantly, the boy found his hand coming away stained even more, and holding what appeared to be a strip of _**food**_ meat with fur still attached. . . and he, he wasn't hungry. Not like he usually was.

"You're not- You're not a hero." Katsuki's trembling voice pulled his attention up to him, the same light in his eyes bright alongside the bravado and anger. Something inside Izuku stirred, and his mind clicked into place. The emotion on his best friend's face. . . he was _**fear**_ araid. . . of him? "Your're not even a person Deku. You're a monster. You-" The boy who was his friend stumbled back, shoving one of the others with one hand to urge them to run, the other still pointed threateningly at the green haired child. "You're a damn villain. Monster." He never looked away, until he was far enough to turn and run after the others, his pounding feet fading into the forest, leaving behind a broken-hearted child and a dead dog. . .

_-Present day-_

The blare of the school bell shattered his daydream, the discordant noise sending him jolting up in his chair. _"Startled twice in one day, some enhanced senses."_ He thought with a disdainful snort, gathering up his notebook and supplies to place in his signature yellow backpack. The chatter of students as they made their way out of the school echoed in his ears, and the feeling of the wind on his skin from the open window was soothing while he stood up, tossing his bag over his shoulder. But none of it could block out the sound of steps he knew so well, the scent of burnt sugar wafting to his nose, his eyes closing as his shoulders slumped dejectedly. _"I... guess it was too much to hope for..."_

"Oi. Shitty Deku." The voice growled out from in front of him. Like that day so many years ago, Izuku raised his head to look at his former friend, meeting the angry red gaze of the boy. Flanking Bakugou on either side were his two most 'loyal' lackeys, the wings and long fingers marking them as they nervously shifted from foot to foot. The blonde himself was clenching and unclenching his hands as he glared, the smell of his nitroglycerin sweat building up on his palms almost cloyingly thick in the air. "Let's go 'talk', you damn monster."

_Twenty minutes later_

The sky was a pretty shade of blue, Izuku idly thought as his head hung back, watching the clouds rolling by above while the sounds of a sharp pop preceded a fist entering his vision, arcing down towards him like a-

The armored green bean grunted as the sickening sound of a fist on flesh echoed through the alleyway, a slight crunching sound and feeling alerting him to the fact that his nose was probably broken, as his armored skin gave way to the explosion powered punch. The arms gripping his tightened to take the force of his body rocking back, before the sound of one of his lackeys speaking up filtered through to the dizzy boy. "Yo, Bakugou, don't you think you might be overdoing it? He ain't even fighting back..."

"Shut the fuck up extra. The shitty monster has it coming to him. Or did you forget how you almost died that day?" The flinch from Izuku's left told him everything he needed to know about Tsubasa's feelings on the matter. He couldn't really understand it (and had given up trying to), why Katsuki was so determined to hurt him, make him 'remember his damn place, as the villain and monster he was'. His wandering thoughts couldn't seem to focus on one thing _"Definitely a concussion i think..."_ , and a sudden picture of the long fingered boy with an apple in his mouth, and sprinkled with large leaves ran through his hazy head, causing him to giggle before he could clamp down on it. "Eh? What the fuck you laughing about, shitty Deku? WHAT'S SO FUNNY?" A hand grabbed his collar, lifting his head up to meet the enraged eyes of his bully.

Before he could think better of it, Izuku giggled again with a wide, sharp toothed grin, ignoring the twinge of instincts in his mind at the flash of surprise _**fear**_ in his childhood friend's eyes. "Just thinking, Kacchan. Pretty- Pretty sure that he'd be too stringy to be tasty. Too thin in the digits." This time, the boy hold him bodily stumbled back, yelping in fear. Bakugou's eyes narrowed in anger, and a slight crackle was his only warning before a massive right hook explosion nailed Izuku in the face, throwing his head back as he coughed. Ears ringing and lungs hacking, he slumped to the ground, released by the winged lackey while the explosive boy's shouting assaulted his shell-shocked ears, only catching every fourth word or so. His head swam as he struggled to bring an arm under his body, pushing himself up weakly as his dark as pitch blood dripped to the ground from his head.

As he looked up to Katsuki, who was arguing with the long fingers boy about something, it was only because of his position that he was the first to see it. Standing in the entrance to the alleyway was a figure, back lit in his blurry vision by the sunlight casting his tall silhouette in sharp relief.

~~_**Sometimes, all it takes is a single difference. One happenstance to change your life.** _ ~~

With a single step, the person entered the alleyway, a hand raised holding a drink can, that he slowly squeezed into a fist. Flapping behind in on a breeze, the black cloak billowed outwards as the crunch of aluminum and cracking knuckles caught the attention of the trio of tormentors. A single red eye stared down at them from a tilted head, set back into a smooth black and white face above a crisp white suit, the arch of his fin accenting the deep voice emerging from a jaw of pointed teeth to fill the alley.

" **Now then. What do we have here?** "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first attempt at writing Fan fiction. Criticism is welcome, but if you don't like it, then just dont read it! Thanks for your time!


	4. Chapter 4: Like Peas in a Pod

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gang Orca had a good feeling about today.  
> Bakugou most certainly does not.  
> Izuku just wants to lie down. Also an autograph, if it isnt too much trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Killer whale hype! Yeah, i hope I did that entrance justice. Fair warning, I'll be taking liberties with some of the canon surrounding Gang Orca, or what little of it I know. Im not trying to infringe on his character, simply modifying it slightly for the purposes of story! Now then, Let's see what this angry aquatic ass kicker has in store for the small poofy splodey dog.

**Chapter 4: Like Peas in a Pod**

Sakamata Kugo, or Gang Orca as he was more popularly known, was a simple man. He enjoyed sushi, the occasional beer after work, and the satisfaction of a job well done. His time on the streets as a hero was time spent doing what he loved, keeping people safe and discouraging would be evil doers. Despite a rocky start to his career on account of his appearance, the mighty monochromatic mammal was sitting comfortable at the rank of 10th place in the top heroes of Japan. 

_"Though..."_ He thought with some chagrin, a slight blush unnoticeable under the collar of his suit jacket. _"I hadn't considered that I'd be third highest of a 'Heroes that look like villains' poll."_ The most recent article had hailed his intimidating appearance and threatening demeanor at work as 'Reassuringly menacing'. Whatever that meant.

Sakamata banished the errant thoughts as he refocused on his surroundings, his steady steps leading him on patrol through the Musutafu district. There had been reports of suspicious activity, possibly related to an ongoing abductions case in the area, and he'd adjusted his path and schedule accordingly. The sun on his neck was warm, but not uncomfortable as he paused at the corner and swiveled his gaze around an intersection. The various passerby gave the sharply dressed hero a wide berth, but he could see several excited looks being passed between a multitude of middle schoolers, their uniforms denoting they must have just left the nearby school as his enhanced hearing easily picked up the frantic whispering. Smiling invisibly behind his toothy collar, he waited until one of the boys pointed his camera at him stealthily, before turning to perfectly time his gaze at the camera with a slight grin.

The squeals of joy and frantic gushing widened that grin as he continued onward, crossing the street. Both in and out of Costume, Sakamata liked children. Often times, the youngest were the only ones to ignore his appearance entirely, and he made great efforts to try being a good role model for the next generations to look up to. Reaching up to thoughtfully scratch the side of his neck, he once again contemplated the idea of applying for a teaching position at one of the hero schools, a thought that had cropped up multiple times in the past. Each time it had, he'd dismissed it, never feeling like the time was right for that kind of change. Besides, he was still in his prime, and becoming a teacher would cut into his time on the field.

Pausing long enough to purchase a drink from a convenient vending machine, the orca lifted his head and drained half the fizzy drink in one go. He couldn't help but feel optimistic about this patrol. While there had been little to no sign of trouble, a quiet patrol was a successful one in his mind. Besides that, there was an undercurrent of anticipation, something keeping his instincts humming in a wordless song of alertness. He'd long ago learned to trust the nonverbal cues his mutation seemed to impart to him, having saved his life on more than one occasion. 

A popping on the edge of his hearing stopped his train of thinking, causing his head to turn towards it, tilting to try and better hear. It sounded like, fireworks? Another faint crack reached him as he turned fully to head towards the source. Maybe it was just somebody playing with firecrackers, but it was his duty to at least make sure they were being safe about it. But the closer he got, the less benign the noises became, clearing into two distinct sounds. A crackling pop, followed by a solid thud, and as he turned a corner, he distinctly heard a grunt of what could only be pain. Frowning, the hero hurried faster as words echoed to his enhanced ears.

"-aybe too much... fighting back... Extra, or did you forget-" The muffled words were cut off by a strained laugh, the sound of pain in the voice sending a tingle down the back of the whale man, who took long strides towards the alley he could see ahead of him. A louder shout of anger and the loudest explosion yet, for explosions they were he realized, was followed by the sound of someone falling. Whipping around the corned, Gang Orca's eyes widened at the sight in front of him. _"What the hell?"_

In the small dead end alley, three apparently middle school boys stood around the crumpled body of a fourth, who was struggling to try and lift himself up, a long black tail flicking weakly behind him as he fell back with another grunt, a dark liquid that his nose told him was blood hitting the asphalt below him. The blonde was shouting at a skinny boy with elongated fingers, while an overweight winged one was watching worriedly. "Of course he fucking deserved it, the damn monster! He's a fucking villain and we're doing the world a fuckin' service by keeping him down!" The words shot through Sakamata's brain, painful memories springing up unbidden-

_"Fishy freak." "Disgusting, he looks so weird." "Doesn't he look like he's gonna just snap and bite you? He's more animal than person." "Should take back to the aquarium where the mindless beasts belong." "He's gonna be **a villain,** just you watch."_

The can in his hand was crushed beyond recognition as his knuckles strained and cracked in his clenched fist, taking a measured step into the alley as the sound alerted the three attackers. Turning his head to stare into the blondes eyes with his own enraged red, his teeth clenched before parting in an angry grimace.

-

**"Now then. What do we have here?"**

Bakugou Katsuki was many things. Angry, confident, and loud are just a few of the adjectives people could apply to him. Contrary to popular belief, stupid wasn't one of them. So when a six and a half foot tall fish headed man stepped into the dead end alley with murder in his eyes, he instantly knew he was in danger. The pressure of being stared down by a predator sent chills down his spine, and the fear that was buried in his heart flared to life before he managed to clamp down on the traitorous emotion. Baring his own teeth in an attempt to appear confident, he responded brashly. "This is none of your damn business old man. Beat it." 

Apparently the wrong answer, as the man did the opposite, stepping further into the dead end. An angry, loud clicking came from his throat, intense enough that both boys behind the explosive teen clapped their hands over ears. Even Bakugou had to grit his teeth, his quirk enhanced eardrums still aching from the sound that seemed to rattle his bones before he spoke. **"On the contrary, this is precisely my business. As a Pro Hero, it is my job to protect civilians from any threat."**

The words clicked with memory as the suit and cloak registered in his mind, the blondes face going slightly pale when he recognized why he looked familiar. He wasn't as well versed in heroes as the damn nerd with a tail, but even he could recognize one of the top ten heroes when it was shoved in his face. Thinking quickly, the boy glanced behind him at the others, noticing shitty Deku trying to push himself up again. Suddenly, the boy relaxed as something occurred to him, and his grin returned just as cocky as he turned back to the pro. "Well then good. I just caught a damn villain here. Good thing too, now he wont be able to hurt anyone, fucking monster." Crossing his arms he smugly awaited the accolades and congratulations for his greatness, like he'd received his entire life.

Thus it was all the more surprising when the delusions of his childhood were thrown in his face like a brick.* **"Really? How fascinating. Because from where I'm standing, I'm looking at a middle school student being assaulted by three schoolmates, if your uniform is anything to by. Furthermore, I can clearly see the wounds on his body indicating that he was the target of some sort of fire quirk, the scent of which is emanating from your hands. Unlawful quirk usage, Intent and Action to harm with it, and lying to a Pro Hero when confronted? I don't know what kind of laws you've been learning** in **school, but in my line of work, we call people like you _Villains._ " **

Katsuki gasped, feeling like the air had been knocked from his chest by a fist. _"Villain? ME? No! He's wrong. Everyone says it. I'm not a villain, I'm- I'm-!"_ "I'm not a fucking villain, fish for brains! I'm gonna be the number one hero for fucks sake!" His anger overrode any semblance of common sense, the product of his upbringing burying the brief moment of clarity. The Orca hero in front of him, cocked his head at the boy's words, cold disbelief visible on his hard to read expression.

**_"Heroes_** **don't act like you do. Even assuming I didn't hear what you've been saying, there's a clear lack of evidence here supporting your claims. None of you have any signs of damage, indicating that the boy didn't attack you. His state is clearly bad enough that if you were truly stopping him from doing something, you would have ceased at the point he could no longer fight back. Even if you somehow convinced me of all these things, I would still be taking you in to the police. I will not take the word of one stranger as truth until i either witness proof, or get to the bottom of the situation. Now..."** Taking another step forward, Gang Orca loomed menacingly with one hand outstretched, palm upwards. **"On my authority as a Hero, I am detaining you three until the truth of this situation can be determined. Come with me and your cooperation will be noted in-"** A wet, hacking cough interrupted the hero, who leaned back in surprise. Katsuki felt a slither of fear as an arm was carefully slung across his shoulders from behind, the irrational urge to hide surging in his body as he heard the voice that haunted his nightmares speaking roughly.

-

"H-hi Gang Orca sir. It's an honor to * _hack_ * meet you! I'm sorry you were bothered b-b-by us playing." Izuku forced a smile onto his face, ignoring the dried blood under his nose, and the wet remains on the side of his face. He desperately struggled to stay steady on his feet, head swimming as his eyes lost focus briefly. Snapping back to the Pro in front of him (Which, incidentally, had he been any less concussed, he would fanboying SO hard right now!) he spoke again in a measured tone. "K-Kacchan was just helping m-me practice with my quirk. Gotta be t-tough to be a hero, right?" The two lackeys behind him audibly held their breath, while Katsuki started under his arm, a wide red eye turning to look at him like he was crazy. Across from him, the Orcinus quirk-user's hand lowered slightly as he stared at this boy, bloodied and beaten, smiling at him like everything was fine. Izuku took another deep breath, before widening that smile and looking at the Hero pleadingly. 

"D-do you think maybe we can just f-forget about this?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *GASP* NANI?? What does Izuku meeeeean?  
> Also, I may have just realized that by copying and pasting the end notes since i posted the work, I may have been doubling up on the disclaimer, huh? Whoopsies!


	5. Chapter 5: Treading Water

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A decision, a warning, and a looming conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back. Aren't I evil? Oh well. But now, Time to find out what Orca's answer to the wounded Izuku's plea is!

**Chapter 5: Treading Water**

Gang Orca was confused. Bakugou Katsuki was confused. The lackeys were confused. The alley cat that peered around the corner, took one look at the tense situation and went the opposite direction, was less so, but still confused. Izuku though? Izuku was tired. Tired and in pain, and all he wanted was to get this situation defused, eat an actual ton of food, and sleep off the injuries. The ache in his nose was already almost gone, and he could feel the slithering sensation of his quirk working to slowly repair the gash on the side of his head, stomach rumbling as he started burning calories. Meanwhile, the _**predator/hunter/ally**_ Pro-hero had lowered his hand completely, looking at the green haired teen curiously before speaking slowly. **"Just... Forget about it? Ignore the fact that you've been attacked?"** The boy grimaced a bit, thinking that it did sound a bit bad when he put it like that. But he just knew, deep in his heart of hearts, that Kacchan _**traitor/foe/fear-bring-**_ _"Hush you!"_ was going to be an amazing hero. He just needed... a little time.

"Ignore a couple of kids rough housing s-sir. Just went a little overboard right?" His smile stretched across his face felt more like a grimace, but he kept it up in the desperate hope it was convincing the man. Behind him his tail flicked in agitation, betraying his forced calm, while inside he could feel a burning sensation in his chest at the demeaning act he was putting up. His tailmind was very _**proud/angry/Cowardice/shouldn't-have-to-roll-over**_ upset with his decision, instincts rebelling over the idea of debasing himself like this. With practiced ease, he clamps down on the feelings as he looks down towards the ground, focusing on the situation at hand. _"This is for the best."_

Sakamata contemplated the beaten boy with both curiosity and confusion. Here was a clear victim of bullying, no doubt due in part to quirk discrimination, pleading with a bloody face to ignore his attackers. It didn't make much sense from a logical viewpoint, but something about the boy intrigued him. His eyes saw a boy, submissively ducking his head in an attempt to make himself smaller. His animal instincts saw a predator, tense and coiled like a spring wound too tight, sure that even the slightest jolt would cause him to snap. Slowly loosening his muscles, the hero brought his hand up to scratch his neck thoughtfully, only stop as he found the mangled remains of a soda can in his palm. Switching the motion to place it into his pocket, he regarded the group in front him before speaking. **"Let's assume I'm considering your request. Why should I, a licensed Pro-Hero, look the other way when there has clearly been a crime committed. The law doesn't get to pick and choose who it applies itself to, and neither do we."**

Inhaling slowly, the greenette raised his head just high enough to meet Gang Orca's eye. To his surprise, the only emotion he could detect in his gaze was curiosity, not a trace of wariness or anger remained. Internally, he couldn't quite shake the feeling that he should be ready to fight at any moment, the presence of _**predator/alpha/leader**_ what he could only consider an apex hunter sending his instincts into a frenzy. Clamping down again, he cleared his throat to reply, choking slightly as his vision swam before settling. "Because it's n-nothing serious." The deadpan look he was given immediately set him to stuttering as he hurried to explain. "I'm n-not seriously hu-hurt, I'm tough-gher than I look, and I heal fast. We g-got out of hand, b-but it's no reas-son for anybody to get in trouble, r-right? Not ov-over me." His smile returned, small and sad as his tail slumped minutely.

The words alone were enough to worry the hero, but coupled with the self-deprecating behavior it set off red flags in his mind. Looking closer at the boy, he searched for any tell-tale signs of possible home abuse, noting that his injuries had begun to scab over in the time they had been talking. The three other boys shifted nervously in his peripheral as his silence trailed on, the two followers looking faint at the idea they might be receiving actual punishment for their actions. The blonde one, 'Kacchan' seemed less worried, but Sakamata could see the fear lurking beneath the surface. Letting out another much softer high pitched click, his sonar lit up with the shapes of their bodies. Interestingly, he noticed that the injured boy's head perked up when the sonic wave struck his body. Odd since he'd thought the pitch had been too high for human ears, and he noted the proof of improved hearing as he searched for any unseen marks or injuries. Normally he would avoid doing this without permission, the ability to examine a persons body from afar being a rather invasive one, but determined that in the current situation it was warranted. 

The black and white echoes of the teen showed him signs of good health. He wasn't malnourished, had no major deformities beyond a faintly visible crack in one of his arms, and in fact had a good musculature for his age. In conclusion, if he was being abused at home, it wasn't leaving physical marks. Exhaling heavily, the cetacean started seriously thinking about what he'd been asked, tamping down a brief flicker of annoyance at himself for even considering it in the first place. On the one hand, the hero had hard evidence of unlawful quirk usage, and the assault on the teen had clearly resulted in serious bodily harm. It was his duty to stop and apprehend anyone who would threaten or harm the citizens under his protection. On the other... The boy in front of him seemed determined to prevent punishment of the blonde boy. His words conveyed familiarity with his tormentor, and his actions portrayed a distinct lack of self worth. Despite his quirk being apparently powerful, he hadn't fought back against his attackers. It just didn't make any sense. The quiet tension built higher as the seconds turned to minutes, none of the teens willing to speak and break him from his thoughts. Sighing loudly, Gang Orca reached up to loosen his tie slightly before responding. **"My answer is. . . No. We cannot just forget this."**

Izuku's head lurched up, his eyes wide as he started to panic. "B-but sir, I j-just- Can't we- T-t-there's no need for-!" Beside him, the blood had drained from the face of his childhood friend turned bully, while the whimpers of the other two were loud in his suddenly too sensitive ears, his breath speeding up while his eyes darted around. Before his body managed to work itself up into a full-on anxiety attack, motion caught his attention. Gang Orca had raised his hand, palm outward towards them to stop them. **"We cannot just forget this, but. . . I have decided to take your plea into consideration."** The boys were silent, wide eyed as the whale man scratched his neck again before returning both hands to his pockets and continuing. "I can't just overlook what they've done. Best intentions of yours aside, a crime is a crime. There must be consequences, or else the law Heroes and police uphold is meaningless." Izuku cocked his head, a little confused as the pro's voice seemed to change as he was speaking, his voice losing a before then unnoticed double, almost vibrating timbre to it. "But because this boy has argued so heavily for your leniency... we can work out a deal. I'll give you all a first and last time warning, taking your names, information, and parent contact information." The immediate reaction from the spiky haired grenade was an expected outrage, quickly cut off by a fierce glare. **"Be. Quiet. Listen, and do not speak until I say."** Waiting a moment to make sure his message was heard, he pulled a small notepad from his pocket and flipped it open. "Your parents _will_ be contacted, along with your school. You will receive a black mark on your records, with a year's time limit on it. You will be required to report to a school sanctioned quirk-counselor, for both classes on proper quirk usage and anger management."

Bakugou's face had grown steadily redder while he was listening, and burst out at the last words. "BULLSHIT! I can't get a mark like this, I'm about to graduate from that shitty school! How am I supposed to get into U.A if-" The yelling boy is cut off by a loud squeak, sharp enough that his head swam as he stumbled back. When the ringing faded, and he looked back up, he was met with livid red eyes, and a pen pointed threateningly at his head.

**"Last warning. Interrupt me again, and this entire deal goes out the window."** Angry as the teen was, even he could realize when he'd pushed too far. In a rare moment of good sense, he shut his mouth with an audible click. Clicking angrily, Sakamata uncapped the pen before moving to begin writing while he spoke. "Quite frankly, my patience has been pushed to the limit by your attitude alone. As for getting in to U.A., this mark's conditions will be visible to those in positions of authority, such as the Principal of U.A. It will be up to him whether it prevents you from applying to his school. Now, should you attend your required classes for the next year, and do not violate these laws again, or anything similar, the black mark will be wiped from your record, and replaced only with the proof that you had participated in this 'parole' as it were. Now, **Names.** " The orca glared down at the trio, and no further compromise was forthcoming. Gritting his teeth, Bakugou relayed the necessary details, the two others quickly following suit shortly after, speaking hurriedly and stumbling over their words.

After writing down the information, the sound of the pen capping was like the period at the end of a sentence. Closing the notebook, the Pro-Hero sighed again, before turning his body to unblock the mouth of the alley. "Go home. Don't get into any more trouble." Fingers and Wings took off like bats out of hell, profusely thanking the hero as they vanished around the corner. The explosion quirk-user was slower, clenching his hands as he glared back at the boy now leaning heavily on the wall, causing him to flinch at the unspoken threat before Katsuki turned to leave.

Faster than he could even register, a grip like tempered steel clamped down on his shoulder, fingertips digging firmly into the fabric of his uniform, pressure just shy of painful. Leaning down, the massive killer whale's head stopped next to his own, a red eye staring at him as if his very soul lay bare before him. His voice was soft, but rumbled with a bone shaking vibration that rattled his teeth in his skull. **"Let me make something very clear, Bakugou Katsuki. If I learn that you have broken the terms of this agreement, or continued to act out in defiance of not only the law, but human decency. If I even so much as _suspect_** **that you have harmed this boy, or anyone else. . . I promise you, I will make it my life's goal to bury your career so far beneath the surface that no light will ever touch the filth of your failed attempt at Heroism again. _AM I UNDERSTOOD?_ "** The words hissed into his ear sounded like Death's promise, a sudden image of a lunging jaw full of jagged teeth lurching forward from the darkness of his mind. Katsuki inhaled sharply as he started breathing again, the trembles in his torso causing his body to shake, Fear wrapped around his heart like a noose. Not trusting his voice, the boy simply nodded, which was enough for the man. Once his shoulder was free, it took him a second to remember how to walk, his mind screaming at him about turning his back to the black and white shape behind him. Turning the corner, the explosive blonde walked for about a block, before lurching to the side and bracing himself on a telephone pole. 

"What-... What the fuck..."

-

Izuku watched Gang Orca lean down towards Bakugou, his words carrying clearly to his sharp ears. The boy felt the same pressure, but unlike his bully had the instincts necessary to translate the flood of impressions and raw emotional input. _**anger/rage/threaten/protect/Alpha**. _After the teen disappeared from their sight, the Hero inhaled deeply before letting the air out slowly, the threatening aura he wore like his cloak dissipating into nothing before turning to the greenette. There was silence for several beats. . . before the man scoffed slightly, the corners of his mouth tilting upwards slightly as he spoke much softer than before. "Well, now that we're through with that, I don't believe I caught your name." Blinking, the boy responded quickly.

"Midori-riya I-I-I-Izuku, Gang Orca sir. Sorry to b-bother you." The pro just waved away the apology, before moving closer to carefully inspect the teen's wounds, pausing to ensure that he was allowed to touch him and continuing at his nod. Hissing slightly at the sting of his hurts, Izuku's tail flicked back and forth slowly, his nervousness giving way to the bone deep tiredness seeping into his limbs. "I... I'm sorry fo-"

"Stop apologizing." Cutting off his attempted apology Sakamata stood back up, having reassured that nothing was broken or his injuries potentially complicated, before moving to pull a handkerchief from his pocket and handing it to the boy. "You have nothing to be sorry for." The green haired mutant opened his mouth, but shut it quickly at the amused look of the larger mutant, taking the handkerchief and absentmindedly wiping the blood off his face. The armored young man was trying to think of a way to leave without bothering the pro further, only to be stopped by the suited sea mammal turning and taking a step before looking back at him over his shoulder with a steady, red gaze.

"Come walk with me, Midoriya. We have some things to talk about."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! Five whole chapters in two days. But more importantly, as of posting this the story has 72 kudos, 17 bookmarks, and (not including my replies) 21 comments!! The positive feedback is mind blowing! Thank you all so much for reading this story of mine! ^_^


	6. Chapter 6: Like You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Hero and a Teen have a sit down at local cafe. More at 11.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Papa Kugo looking out for our boy, with a little bit of scare sauce on the side for the angry pomeranian eh? Little bit of news, After this chapter, I'm going to be slowing down on the posts. While my creative juices are flowing, I'm able to pump out the story, but I'd like to have a back log for when the inevitable brain block hits. . . maybe. The rush of posting is addicting. But yeah, Just wanted to let yous know! Enjoy!  
> Potential Trigger warning? Anxiety attack description.

**Chapter 6: Like You**

The common hustle and bustle of city life has a remarkable ability to gloss over the unusual. The more people that congregate in an area, the higher the threshold for the weird and wacky to be accepted as normal. But the sight of a middle school student sitting at the table outside of a park-side cafe, with visibly torn uniform and dried blood caking one side of his face was apparently just a little bit much. Izuku could feel his ears burning as the whispers and speculations flew around him, gawking bystanders muttering while staring at him unashamedly. Everything from a villain on the run, to an abuse victim being held against his will, to a murderer regretting his first kill, the possibilities were endless for the drama craving masses. He snorted in amusement. _"As if some of them didn't see me walk here with a top ten Pro-Hero."_ Said hero had led him to the cafe, motioned to a table, then walked inside without a word. Leaving the teen to stew in his thoughts. Letting out a heavy sigh Izuku leaned down onto his arms, determined to just ignore the chattering crowd while he fought to keep his eyes open against the aches and encroaching fatigue.

The next he knew was a cold feeling pressing to his neck, startling him up and awake with a yelp. Looking around wildly, he saw the looming form of Gang Orca standing beside him, a large water bottle held towards him in one hand. It must have been just bought, because he could see the condensation running down the sides of the plastic, explaining the chill. Straightening up in his seat, the boy could almost swear that a hint of smile could been seen playing along the edge of the man's mouth, hidden behind the high collar of his costume. "Sorry, you looked like you could use something to drink. Besides, you really shouldn't sleep with a head injury." When he moved the water closer, the boy took it and held it in both hands on the table top. Behind him his tail tip flicked back and forth in agitation, while the black and white hero sat down opposite him, setting down his own bottle on the surface between them to wait. Several moments of silence pass in which the emerald teen can feel the steady gaze on him, his mouth opening to speak only to shut again as nerves took over. ". . . . . You don't need to talk, if you don't want to. You owe me nothing."

Izuku's head snapped up, sputtering wildly as he waved his hands. "N-no no! I owe you s-s-so much for helping me! I c-can't accept any more generosity from you! You've already done so much for me, and youreallydidnthavetohelpamonsterlikemewhenIdeser..." Words running together the longer he spoke, Izuku could feel his heart trying to beat out of his chest. His ears were ringing and vision starting to go fuzzy like static as his thoughts spiraled downwards, and his breathing became panicked gasps for air. _"What if Kacchan comes back for me in revenge? I shouldn't have made him angry, I know better than that. Now I'm inconveniencing a hero, wasting his time saving someone like me. Why, why, WHY couldn't i just take my beating. I'm useless at being useless, just a worthless monster, I should just go-"_

**~~_A sound like a droplet hitting still_ _water_ ~~ **

Suddenly everything stopped, the panic freezing like a river in winter as he felt a gentle pressure against his head. Blinking, his vision faded back in to focus on the large hand in front of his face, one finger gently extended to his forehead. Sound followed, the slow and steady voice wrapping around him like comforting arms. "Easy now, breathe with me. In, 2, 3, 4 then out, 2, 3, 4. Don't worry, I've got you, just breathe." The tension in his chest released with a strangled sob, his breath shaky while struggling to follow his instructions. Slowly, the static faded out. In its place, the most profound sense of safety he'd ever felt washed over him. Since his quirk had first manifested he had always been on edge, subconscious tension from his instincts never really allowing him to relax. But now they were quiet. Here in this moment, he felt. . . _**"safe."**_ "I can see in your eyes that you're back. There's no need for you to hurry, take as much time as you need." Sakamata spoke slowly and calmly to the boy, having recognized the signs of a panic attack. What Izuku had said however, had the gears turning wildly in his mind. Letting none of the worry or concern bleed into his expression or tone, he very carefully moved his hand down to the teen's shoulder. The flinch was not entirely unexpected, but only served to cement what he had to say next. "Midoriya. . . Izuku." Using his given name seemed to catch his attention, and the forest-green catlike eyes found his flat reds. "I need you to listen to me. To what I'm going to say. You don't have to believe me yet, but I need you to hear the words. Can you do that for me?" A beat. Then a jerky nod. Sakamata exhaled, gathering his thoughts as he moved to one knee beside the table and bring his head down to his level.

"First things first. You, are _not_ a monster Midoriya Izuku." His head snapped up, mouth opening to immediately refute his statement, only to stop at the man's free hand raising a finger in the universal symbol for one moment. "You're not a monster, in so far as _others_ have decided, nobody can tell you what you are. Only you decide if you're the monster. Your quirk is one with deep rooted instincts and mental influences, isn't it?" Another nod, a tail flicking, and green eyes hanging desperately on his every word. "I thought as much. Mutations to the degree we possess rarely come without some sort of internal changes. But that's another thing behind my point; our quirks are part of who we are... but they don't define us unless we let them." A whimper from the boy prompts him to squeeze his shoulder reassuringly. "Despite our decades of progress, humans still have a tendency to misunderstand things different than them. Misunderstanding leads to wariness, wariness to fear, fear to hate, and suddenly the real monsters are made clear. Anyone can be a monster, regardless of quirk." Izuku's gaze never left the Pro-Hero's as he spoke, even his tail stilling as the next words shot through to his core. "Never think you're worth less than any of those who try to put you down. Never let them decide what it is you are. Don't be afraid of your quirk, because it's as much a part of you as your arms, legs, hair, tail. Be what you want to be... everything else can come later." 

With another strangled sob, Midoriya Izuku lunged forward to wrap his arms around the figure of the number ten hero, his tail lashing side to side as he gave up any semblance of control, both of his emotions and quirk. Gang Orca was surprised, but slowly brought both arms down to rest across his shoulders, returning the hug gently. Beneath his palms, Sakamata could feel as Izuku's armor seemed to ripple, small crackling noises reaching his enhanced hearing as the bumps across his back grew more pronounced and little spines grew from the end of his tail. The arms around his torso felt heavier, and he could tell without looking that the claws gripping his back were longer and sharper. The sheer amount of changes told him just how tight of a grip he had kept on himself and his quirk, most likely trying his hardest to be closer to what he considered should be normal. Bringing his hand up, he placed it on top of the boy's head, patting reassuringly, tamping down the surprising feeling of warmth in his chest. He was _not_ getting emotional, and the instinctive, soothing clicking in his chest was just coincidence. Nothing more.

For his part the crying Izuku's mind was for once, gloriously empty. No conflicting thoughts warring with feral instincts, no fearful rants, no self-deprecating beliefs. Just the warm comfort of being reassured that he wasn't wrong, wasn't a mistake. That he belonged her just as much as a 'normal' human. The soft sound of clicking reached his ears, having a strangely calming effect on him. The hero smelled of sea-water, the kind of distant scent you'd catch on the breeze near the shore. It was a reassuring scent to his quiet tailmind. He stayed like that, letting out some the fear and self doubt built up over the last eight years. He wouldn't just magically be better or forget all the self-created mental blocks, he knew that in his mind...

But for once, he believed that he finally had a place to start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy, I hope that didn't feel forced, or rushed. I really tried to convey the feeling of... Well, the feeling that he felt somehow inadequate, or unworthy. Hopefully it wasn't too hard to read/interpret/enjoy.  
> Anyways, Next time it's back to some upbeat! Stay Tuned!


	7. Chapter 7: Innocent Insight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After their emotional moment, The two mutants make their way home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, hey, hey! Take a look at what I've got for you here. Another chapter! After our emotional roller coaster last time, lets take it back down upbeat lane. Enjoy!

**Chapter 7: Innocent Insight**

The minutes slowly ticked past, with the sun starting to move towards the horizon and paint the world in shades of orange. Eventually, the green haired teen pulled away from the hug, reaching up to wipe his eyes on his sleeve. "I-I'm sorry for crying on you. After you went o-out of your way to try and help me." The snort of amusement from above him, brought his gaze back up, seeing Gang Orca with a small smile before he fixed his collar, hiding his facial expressions once again.

"I thought I said you had nothing to apologize for, Midoriya. That hasn't changed in the last half hour." The boy opened his mouth likely to apologize again, before snapping it shut with a huff. Sakamata tilted his head as he examined the changes on the young mutant in front of him. His jaw a little wider, neck was slightly thicker around, while his shoulders beneath the uniform jacket showed small pronounced ridges and dull points. His arms had much more pronounced hide plating that bulked his sleeves, the color extending down to emerge near his hands, while the appendages themselves were wider with slightly longer fingers not unlike his own tipped with small black claws. He caught a glimpse of his tail with the spines branching out around the tip of it, looking more like a club than the thin, almost lizard-like tail he'd sported before. All in all the aesthetic was... pleasing, truth be told. "Now I might be a little biased, but I personally think that your quirk suits you like this. You look better, both physically and your demeanor."

Izuku promptly blushed a vibrant red, the shade contrasting sharply with his normal color scheme as he grumbled, tail twitching in embarrassment. "I-It's been a while since I just... didn't suppress it. Most of the time I'm too busy trying to appear more human..." He reached up and scratched the back of his neck shyly, claw tips scraping across the hide their softly. "Thank... Thank you. For telling me all that. . . and for saving me." The last words were spoken softly, like he was still getting used to the idea that it was okay to be saved. Standing up, Sakamata brushed off his suit with one hand before grabbing the water bottle from the table.

"You're welcome. While I can say that It's my job, I genuinely mean it when I say that I'm glad I was there today. You deserve better than what those boys put you through." Growling slightly as he let out an annoyed squeak (Izuku's head twitched towards it like a curious puppy looking at you sideways he noted), he uncapped and sipped at the liquid..... then promptly dumped the remainder of the water over his head, startling the teen beside him into leaping back with a yelp. Chuckling, he tilted his head back and let the cool relief roll down his back and across his suit. "Sorry about that. Part of my quirk can be a little uncomfortable if i dry out for too long."

"Oh, that's right! Your quirk, Orcinus, gives you all the physical capabilities of an Orca! You can use sonic waves for both attacking and scouting, like a whale's sonar! You're also very strong and fast, though statistically you perform better in water based environments, you're still one of the most effective search and rescue heroes in-" Gang Orca blinked, as he watched the shy stuttering adolescent turn into a rapid fire, fact spitting fan boy. He was also incredibly accurate with the various references and recitals of his various accomplishments, some of which he had thought were rather obscure. His mouth quirked upwards into another hidden grin. _"What an analytical mind. I wish my support staff spent half as much effort as this boy did. He's like-... and now he has a notebook."_ Sure enough, sometime between starting his rant and now, the teen had pulled a small notebook from god knows where and was flipping through the pages excitedly, tail wagging behind him furiously. _"How- Where did that even come from?"_ "OH! Before i forget, can-... Can i get an autograph?" Izuku's shyness resurfaced, and he realized that the boy was holding out the notebook to him, pencil in hand.

Taking it with some bemusement he glanced at the open pages, pausing to glance over the entry. On one side of the page was an extremely well drawn portrait of him, posing with one hand up, while on the opposite side were neatly written out details on his power set, fighting style, notable achievements, weaknesses... If the hero hadn't known better, he would have believed in a heartbeat that the entry in front of him was an official Hero Commission dossier. As he flipped the page absentmindedly, he took notice of the observations of his weaknesses, some of them surprising him with the notes on how he came to their conclusion. _"This boy... can put together facts and patterns from sources that normally wouldn't even be connected, stringing them together into a cohesive, understandable whole. Impressive..."_ The fidgeting of the greenette snapped him from his musing, alerting him to the fact he had been silently staring at the notes for a couple minutes now, and he quickly flipped back to the portrait, signing his hero name in the space underneath. "Sorry, I was appreciating your work. Your notes are... impressive." 

"Eheheh.." *Ducking his head, Izuku's blush thickened as he tried to play off the compliment. "It's really not that good. I just like to take notes on heroes and their quirks. It's just a hobby." The orca's brow quirked upwards, glancing down at the professional grade statistics in hand before closing the notebook and flipping it to read the cover. The title read in neat kanji 'Hero analysis for the Future: No. 12'. _"There are eleven more of these?"_ The size of the notebook meant that, if the others were of similar types, there could be potentially more than a hundred heroes broken down to basest components in a way that even the newest hero trainee could understand... _"Or a street-level villain."_ Reaching out to the young monster teen, he handed back the notebook with a thoughtful hum.

"I've seen professional analysts with less thorough notes than yours. If this is what you consider a hobby, I'm not sure we'd have any secrets left if you seriously researched one of us heroes." Again with the head tilt, curiosity and confusion in his gaze. Shaking his head, the whale headed peacekeeper stepped past the boy and glanced up at the sky. "It's getting late. Come on, I'll walk you home." Looking up at the sky in surprise, the monster teen gaped at the setting sun as if he hadn't noticed how much time had passed, before standing up and stammering at the pro with his notebook held to his chest.

"There's n-no need for that, sir! I can find my own way. I don't wanna keep you f-f-from your work any longer." Cloak moving behind him as he moved to throw away the empty bottle, plastic clattering down into the recyclable receptacle before turning back and looking down at him through one eye again.

"My patrol will be covered by my sidekicks and underlings. As for keeping me from work, this is just as important to me. Let me ensure that you get home safe. At least to satisfy my honor as a pro." He watched in amusement as Izuku seemed to struggle, caught between his desire to not be a burden and his wanting to help the hero in fulfilling his duty. His tail revealed his inner conflict, swapping between waving back and forth, and slapping down onto the ground when his face went particularly focused. Idly he also noted that the impacts did little to harm the spines growing from the limb, filing away another point to his body's durability.

"I... guess that's fine then. Especially if you think it's best." Reaching below the table, the greenette grabbed his bright yellow backpack and slung it up onto one shoulder. When he lifted his other arm he hesitated, thinking through something before lowering it again to leave the bag hanging over one shoulder. Just that simple action alone did wonders for his image, the timid stance of holding on to both of the straps giving way to a more confident one handed grip. He even thought he saw another shy smile before it disappeared and he moved to stand beside Gang Orca. Turning he motioned for the teen to lead the way, long steps easily allowing him to keep pace beside him.

Izuku couldn't help but think how cool it was to be walking side-by-side with a real Pro-Hero. Not just any hero! A current top ten one at that! It took all of his considerable experience in controlling his emotions to keep himself from squealing aloud in happiness. There was no saving his tail, the limb waving back and forth like an excited dog while his instincts sang at the feeling of rare freedom he was granting them. _**ease/comfort/happy/joy**_ _"I agree."_ He couldn't help but smile as the words the hero beside him had spoken, sharp teeth showing as he smiled wider. _"All Might will always be the number one hero in Japan, maybe even the world. But after today..."_ He looked over at the figure of Gang Orca taking long strides, his cloak flowing behind him as he occasionally glanced around to keep an eye on their surroundings. Izuku smiled wider before trotting forward happily. _"I think I have a new favorite."_ The two tall males strode through the streets of the prefecture Midoriya Izuku called home. Soon he'd be back in his apartment, where he could finally just relax. Maybe his mother had started dinner, so there'd be something- Izuku stumbled to a stop, eyes wide as something occurred to him, while Sakamata slowed down, and looked back at him in concern. 

".... My Mom's gonna kill me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lucky number Seven! Whew, I need to slow down I think. I know i said it last time, but for real now: I'm going to move to a twice a week posting schedule. New chapters will be posted on Wednesdays and Saturdays. I'll be aiming for them being out and up by 12pm CST. Thank you all for the huge amount of support you've given me. It's infinitely encouraging to someone who was always too intimidated to post the ideas he has running like headless chickens through his head. *Cough* Anyways! Hope you're all having fun. See you wednesday!


	8. Chapter 8: Moving Forward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life moves on, Izuku meets someone new!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo! Back at it again! And we have art! Holy Shit people, someone took the time to make a sketch of Goliath Izuku as a child! I'm honored. Sincerely. Thank you Komodo23!!  
> Check it out! https://sta.sh/01t75ri73krp
> 
> As for the chapter, let's dive back in to our Armored Cinnamon Bun a few days after the last time.

**Chapter 8: Moving Forward**

_-1 week later-_

Luckily for Izuku, his mother's wrath was mitigated by his companion. It didn't save him from the tears and fussing though. After explaining the situation to her, and being thanked over and over by the distraught parent, Gang Orca had taken his leave. But not before imparting one last gift to the boy he had saved. 

Izuku looked down at his phone, the name of the contact staring back at him in bold letters. The number ten hero had asked for his phone, then handed it back with his number saved to it. _"If you ever have any more trouble, from them or anyone else, or just need someone to talk to, I'm here. If I'm on a mission, I'll get back to you when i can. Don't hesitate to call."_

Even now days afterwards, the boy was still giddy with disbelief and wonder. Closing the contact, he slipped the device back into his pocket and looked up at the blue sky with a happy sigh. _"Kacchan has been surprisingly quiet since we got back to school. He hasn't even made any slights or insults. He must really be taking Gang Orca's threat to heart."_ Izuku couldn't help but be pleased by the outcome, though he still avoided being near him when possible, hence his current lunch period spent on the roof of the school. No sense poking the bear.

As he ate the bento his mother had packed him (He'd already gone through the school lunch, thanks metabolism) he thought back to his encounter again, chewing slowly as he mulled over a few things. _"I should have asked him more questions. Especially... Whether I can be a hero, even if I'm a mon-"_ He snapped that thought off before it could finish.

Ever since the hero's motivational words, the boy had been working hard to try and break his almost reflexive habits. After that first day he'd woken up with his features suppressed again, subconsciously reverting to his usual routine before hesitantly correcting himself. It wasn't easy though. After eight years of his former best friend relentlessly putting him down, the reflexes were deeply ingrained into his psyche. Grumbling a bit, the greenette makes the conscious effort to lengthen his claws a little, turning them this way and that as he watches the light glint off them dully. Stabbing one of the small meat pieces in his lunchbox with his pointer, he snaps it up with a happy chomp. 

As he's chewing, Izuku focused on his nose, closing his eyes as he took several deep inhales and sniffs. Practicing his scenting abilities had been the first thing that he'd felt truly comfortable with since the encounter, and he was amazed at the difference such a small decision made. Almost like a wave, the area around the boy lit up in his mind like a black and white image. While it was difficult for him to pick out the smaller details, such as individual expressions on a persons face, the different flavors of each person made it an almost laughably easy task for him to start identifying each of the people moving around in the floors beneath him. There was the science teacher, bent over his desk as he ate with one hand while grading furiously with the other. Over near the bathrooms, the sense of two people slipping into one of them drew his attention, the flavors marking them as two of his classmates. _"Huh, why are they going into the same stall? Shouldn't he not be in the women's toilet anyways? Now they're on the-"_ With a blush that burned like a sudden inferno, Izuku immediately yanked his attention elsewhere, leaving the two to their activities. _"Can't help but think that they wouldn't do that in school if they knew i could 'see' them from anywhere."_

The lunch period passed much the same, alternating between him eating his lunch and exercising his senses. While it wasn't nearly as powerful he was no slouch when it came to hearing, and his sight was several times better than the average human as well. When the bell finally rang, the boy startled up to his feet at the harsh noise intruding into his trance before grumbling and packing away the locked clean lunchbox. Tail flicking contentedly, he made his way down to find his seat for afternoon classes, the roof access door swinging shut behind him. 

-x-

Later in the day after school had let out, the monstrous green bean was wandering towards what he mentally called 'His park.' He didn't own it, but good luck telling that to his instincts most days. Backpack slung over one shoulder he hummed to himself as he sat beneath his favorite tree, looking down to the water covered in ducks with a chuckle. 

_"So many different kinds of animals are scared of me, but go figure that ducks are the only one I've found yet that can't care enough to bother with me."_ Izuku thought to himself with a small smile. Pulling his note book from somewhere, he began to write up notes on a new hero that should be debuting soon. Not much was known about them yet, but supposedly they had some sort of gigantification quirk, but otherwise nothing-

"Hey yo babe! You look a little lonely. Wanna hang out with us, have a little fun?" The voice broke into his thoughts like a runaway train through a post office, a growl of irritation rumbling free as his pen skid across the page. Looking up crossly he searched for the source of the disturbance.

~~**Wind through branches, the splash of a stream** ~~

There at the edge of the water two young men, whose hair and outfits just screamed stereotype punk, who talking to a smaller girl who was crouched feeding the ducks. As she stood up and brushed her hands off, Izuku saw long green hair, a barely darker shade than his, tied up into a waist high looped bow. Her posture was slightly hunched, and even from here the monster boy could see her features were a little bit different. Her hands were larger than average, and her face was a bit wider in the mouth, while her eyes were wide, the expression in them difficult to read.

Tilting her head and raising one finger to the side of her lips, her voice came out blunt, with the barest hint of a croak. "Maybe you should try a better pick up line. You don't sound like fun at all, Kero." Blinking once she stared down the taller boys without fear. 

Meanwhile, Izuku couldn't help but stare at the girl, puzzling through her physical mutations as she was speaking. Unnoticed, his tail had begun a slow wagging back and forth while he thought. _"Low posture, large hands, wide mouth. I would have guessed some reptile or amphibian based on the few clues visible, but that croaking definitely means frog or toad. Probably frog, smells like a frog. Also faintly like... Lilies?"_ Sniffing the air again, his tail wags harder as he tries to identify the source of the sweet scent lingering on the edge of his mind. 

He was so distracted, he almost misses the response of the punks to her. "Ooooh, got some claws there girlie. Don't be so stingy, you're just feedin' the ducks after all. Not like you got anything better to do. Besides, maybe well surprise you, hmm?" As he was speaking, the black hair pompadour man had leaned forward, just a little bit too far in to her space, evidenced by the narrowing of her eyes.

Standing up and shifting his backpack to his shoulder, Izuku started moving towards the group of people. His instincts were acting up, and he could sense the rising tension in the air. The girl retorted as he picked up speed. "With your lack of brains, I might be surprised if you said anything remotely intelligent. Besides, the ducks are better company." Izuku hurried forward, the familiar scent of anger filling the air.

The punk with the funny hair leaned back before snarling at her, raising his hand back as anger overtook common sense. "Why you smart mouthed little muttie. Who the hell do you think you're talking to? I'll teach you to-" Whatever the belligerent was going to say was cut off by the sound of his yelp, and his arms suddenly arrested forward motion. 

Whipping around to yell loudly, any words immediately die when punk #1 come face to chest with a black uniform jacket. Looking up, his vision consists of a mop of unruly green hair, a polite crocodile smile full of jagged teeth, and two angry green slit-pupil eyes practically glowing as they glare at him. An almost subsonic rumble rolled through his body when the boy growled, grin widening as the teenager spoke up with a deep snarl of a voice.

"Knock it off. Or else."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooooh, someone made our boy mad! Let's see if the tunnel snake knock off survives til the sunset! Also, enter stage left One Froggy Girl.  
> With a set schedule, my chapters will probably start growing in length. Taking advice from some comments, I've tried breaking up the text into more manageable chunks! Let me know how it feels!


	9. Chapter 9: Taken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku and his new friend hang out, chat, and by the end of it, he is very taken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back my little ducklings! I have decided we are all ducks, since that is the only animal that is indifferent to the Monster Bean. Or something. Eh, semi-insane semantics. Another chapter! Premium length too!! I couldnt find a stopping point i was happy with, so decided to celebrate Asui Tsuyu entering the story with an extra long one! Let's dive back in to it!  
> P.S. Sorry, not Sorry. o-o

**Chapter 9: Taken**

_-One prefecture to the_ east-

If there was one thing that nobody was told about heroism, it was the paperwork. Grumbling deep in his chest, Gang Orca slogged through the pile of paperwork sitting almost two feet high beside him. While it would be faster to type, or maybe even push it off on a sidekick or intern, Sakamata had an old school dedication to doing things right the first time. While time consuming, there was nothing quite as thorough as going through each individual aspect of an incident report with his own eyes and hands. Sadly, this policy also gave rise to the massive headache building behind his eyes as he reached up to pinch his brow.

One of his sidekicks had cornered a minor villain in a restaurant back room during a chase. All well and good, but when the miscreant had decided to use his sonic emitter quirk to try and bring the building down rather than be captured, it tended to look bad on the after action report. Thankfully nobody was seriously hurt, and the majority of paperwork was for property damages.

Pausing to scratch his neck thoughtfully his red eyes wandered to an official looking document, set aside on one corner of the desk. _"Midoriya should be getting off school around now. Perhaps I can take a break, get a hold of him, make the offer."_ Looking back to the pile of paperwork beside him... He grumbled and clicked in annoyance, grabbing the next sheet to read and sign. _"Later. It will keep for a few hours."_

- _Back in the park-_

Asui Tsuyu considered herself fairly average, as middle school girls went. She woke up each morning, helped her mother wrangle her many siblings into some semblance of order, went to school and got average grades. She spent time with her friends, studied hard, and occasionally dealt with some biased jerk making a comment on her appearance. It wasn't often, but every now and then, Tsuyu treated herself to rare moments of peace without the constant pestering of brothers and sisters, or the social pressure to engage with friends. This park had become one of those places for her, so she was understandably miffed when a couple of punks decided they had nothing better to do than hit on an underage girl (Her friends had consistently said she had a great figure, and acted more mature than her age, go figure) and react poorly to being turned down. In a rare moment of emotion, she was quite ready to lash out in self defense if he followed through with that raised hand.

When a six plus foot tall boy in a black school uniform stepped in to effortlessly grasp his arm, the frog quirk user couldn't help but stare. Ignoring the stuttering, terrified punks trying to string together an apology, Tsuyu tilted her head to study him. A tail curled down to sway behind his legs, the short spines clustered at the end giving it the appearance of a club, while his bared teeth sent her instincts into a raucous alarm. _P_ _redator! Danger!_ they screamed to the girl, but the longer she took him in the quieter they became. Her sense of smell wasn't particularly powerful, frogs being rather simplistic in their olfactory prowess, but something about him seemed familiar to her on a deeper level. It took her until the punks left shouting useless threats and promises of retribution to figure out why.

_"Ever since I started coming here, I've always felt like I'm on something's territory. Habuko was so nervous the one time she came here with me, she kept saying that she felt threatened. I never felt it as strong, but this boy gives off that same feeling."_ In her musings, the green haired girl's eyes never stopped roving up and down his body, taking in the features of the boy. His flicking tail now settled into a (dare she say) cute wagging motion, the claws scratching the back of his neck with a soft _scritch-scritch_ sound, and his hands that were just a little too big. She failed to notice when the boy asked her something, eyes wide as her mind wandered, his expression slowly dropping in to one of nervousness the longer the silence dragged on. Finally, Tsuyu opened her mouth to speak.

_-Minutes before-_

Staring down at the pompadour touting punk stammering in his grip, Izuku felt an unusual emotion for him: Disdain. The greenette had spent the majority of his life struggling to control instincts and emotions to restrain himself, and here he was about the smack the daylights out of a man at the drop of a hat. _"Though, I'm usually not graced with the joy of hearing someone use such a derogatory word."_ He thought angrily as he followed his words with a growl. _**Hate/Anger/Hunger/Rage**_ Not even Kacchan on his worst days would stoop so low as to use such a term. _"It should have died out a century ago, but there's always got to be those idiots..."_ Shaking his head to try and clear the crowding thoughts, he focused back in on the pleading not-so-tough guy.

"C-c-c-come on man, I didn't really mean nothing by it! Honest! I wasn' gonna do nuthin, i swear! Just- Just wanted to scare her a bit, gotta keep my rep right man? Bro, help me out here? BRO?" Looking to his ally, the slicked back blonde just looked torn between running away and whatever dregs of loyalty were left in his system. He grinned nervously as the other two turned to look at him, internally praying that his 'Bro' shut the hell up right then. With narrowed eyes, the monstrous boy turned back to glare at the male in his grasp, the remaining color in his face draining as Izuku dragged him close enough to be nose to nose.

"I don't care. She wasn't interested, so accept your rejection like men. It's _never_ acceptable to try and cow a girl into obedience. If I ever catch you in my- I mean this park again, I better not think you're doing this again. Got it?" Baring his teeth to get the point across, he glared at the frantic bobble-heads of the agreeing scumbags. With a grunt he let go of the arm, watching with mute satisfaction as the man stumbled and almost fell, caught by his friend. Izuku made a shooing motion with one hand, snarling at them viciously. " **Beat it**." With yelps of fear, the men scattered like roaches in the sun, booking it as if their lives depended on it, the pompadour looking back as they get a decent distance to yell shakily.

"We- We'll go easy on you this time! You won't be so lucky ne-next time!" The boy watched in amusement as his inattention immediately cost him. Tripping with a choked yelp, he was sent tumbling before scrambling to his feet running again. Tail lashing twice in satisfaction, the teen remembered the reason he'd done this in the first place, turning back to the girl who so far hadn't said a word. Checking her over to make sure she was okay, he couldn't help but catch that same tantalizing smell as before; a strangely floral scent, that brought a vision of lilies in a pond to mind as his tail started wagging slowly before he managed to focus and speak.

"H-hi there. Sorry about them, you shouldn't have had to deal with idiots like that. Are you okay?" Smiling reassuringly, he watched as her large eyes blinked slowly, the black pupils roving up and down him as her finger rested in that same spot beside her mouth. As the silence dragged on, Izuku couldn't help but feel the nerves building up inside him, tail flicking uncertainly as she stared. _"Oh god, She's just staring. Did I frighten her? I must have freaked her out, I must have looked like a psycho. Oh crap, how do i fix this? There's gotta be somthingIcansay,ohgodshe'sgonnathinkimafreakandamonsterjustliketherest-"_ As his mind took off into the sunset like a runaway steed, his claws scratched worriedly at the hide of his neck, a bead of sweat dripping down his cheek as he tried to figure out how to salvage the situation. 

"You have big hands like mine, Kero." When she finally did speak, the sound was so sudden that it shattered his train of thought, causing him to jump with a yelp of surprise. This in turn startled her into hopping backwards with a loud croak. The two teenagers stared at each other with wide eyes, both watching for the other's next move for several tense moments. . . before soft laughter broke it, the girl's hands coming up to cover her mouth as she giggled with the occasional soft croak. Soon enough his own shoulders shook as he laughed along with her, both of them busting up with wild abandon. Other park goers looked to the young ones before shaking their heads with a smile, continuing on as the tension bled away like running water. When they eventually caught their breath, the frog girl wiped her eyes with one hand as she struggled to introduce herself. "S-Sorry about- about that. Thank you for helping me, My name is Asui Tsuyu." She extended one of her hands towards him, a brief moment of the familiar insecurity surging at the sight of her oversize appendage.

Only for it to be wiped away as an even bigger one gently grasped it, shaking lightly. "Midoriya. Midoriya Izuku! It was really nothing, I'm sure you would have been fine." She cocked her head again as he spoke, the young voice and gentle face not really matching up with the warnings of a predator in her froggy mind. Smiling internally a little bit she shook her head before replying.

"You still stepped in to help. Kero, Most people would ignore something like that happening. So thank you." The blush suffusing his face at her words was a surprising splash of color on the boy. Giving him a moment to collect himself, she moved to grab her bag from where it lay beside the pond and walked back over to him with it clasped in front of her. When he'd managed to stop muttering, she let a bit of the smile slip onto her face as she nodded to him. "So Izuku-chan, do you know any good places to eat around here?"

"Um, well, I-" Brain in a tailspin, Midoriya Izuku sputtered like a car that wouldn't turn over. _"She can't be suggesting we- Not together? But maybe she's just being nice. Maybe..."_ Eventually wrestling his tongue into submission, and deciding to accept the push from his tailmind _**agree!**_ _ **/brave!/frog!**_ , he cleared his throat and put on his best smile that didn't look like a grimace. "There's a cafe near here that does a good pudding actually. Want to go together?" Internally he squealed in a way that could at best be called unmanly, while he worked to keep his face in a confident grin. The subtle croaking that sounded suspiciously like laughter didn't reassure him he'd succeeded.

"Sure, lead the way. I want to get to know my savior, Kero." Her deadpan delivery was softened by the emotion behind her eyes, easily setting his tail to wagging as he turned and began walking the familiar path with his new friend keeping pace beside him. The new duo left the park as they slowly began to chat back and forth, mutual awkwardness melting away as they paced out of sight. Behind them unseen and undetected by either mutant, a figure dressed in a dark brown body length jacket transitioning seamlessly to a grey hood. From the depths of the cloaked face, the click and flash of lighter flame illuminated manic grey eyes set above a scarred nose, smoke exhaled past the cigarette between teeth set in a grin as he looked after the retreating teens. 

"A most fascinating specimen."

_-Roughly Two hours later-_

Passerby walking past a certain cafe would be treated to an amusing sight: Two green haired students seated at a table in the setting sunlight conversing in excited tones. What really sold it was the constantly expressive tail of the boy, the black appendage wagging like a puppy's just below the table line. Hiding laughter behind smiles the wait staff quickly learned to find alternate routes through the patio tables, because as one busboy discovered to his shin's detriment, that limb was sturdy. Izuku couldn't remember the last time he'd had this much fun just... talking. No need to follow the leaders, no reason to hide who he was, Asui Tsuyu had the most wonderful effect of making him feel like he didn't need to bother trying to fit in around her. Unlike Gang Orca, who achieved this through owning the room with confidence, the frog girl simply had no time for all the frivolities of social expectation. It was such a refreshing feeling.

For her part, Tsuyu was fascinated by the fellow mutant type quirk boy and his views on the prejudices they both faced in their lives, continuing their conversation after taking a sip of her fruit smoothie. "I don't know if they got it fully right though, Kero. Sure the Mutant Rights Corps vastly improved the conditions for mutants and metamorphic quirk users, but their methods put a bigger stress on the fact that we're 'different than normal'." Her hand accentuated her point, the emphasis giving motions eagerly watched by her attentive listener. To be truthful the willing attention was... flattering. It was nice knowing the other person was not only invested in the conversation, but also genuinely cared about her points, and she found herself putting more of her emotions into her words than usual. "Kero Kero, if they truly wanted equality and an end to discrimination they should have stressed our sameness, not fought for extra concessions. Doing so only perpetuates the problems, Kero."

One hand tapped each clawed finger in quick succession as he thought, the other bringing up one of his many onigiri to his musing, munching mouth while he contemplated her _**lily-scent/eyes/cute**_ point, swallowing and shooting back. "I can see your point. The MRC was considered to be one of the greatest turning points in quirk history, but if you really take your perspective it really does come out to more of grab for power. _Grrrr_ , I wish more people cared less about personal gain." His tail lashed back and forth as he growled (a waiter wisely taking an extra step back before passing). Across from him, the boy's sharp eyes caught slight motion from the girl's throat, a sort of flutter of the sides in response to the noise. A far cry from the freezing up and flinches when he'd accidentally let a little bit of his instincts slip when they'd started their ~~date~~ hangout. Another point in the monster teen's book, and one that added twofold to the happiness swelling in his chest.

Bringing her hand up to press one finger against her cheek, Tsuyu tilted her head as she considered him. "You seem very passionate about this, Kero. Maybe you should consider a career in politics. You have the face for it." She laughed croakingly as he started spluttering on the rice indignantly, the boy trying to respond as he coughed when a few grains took a right turn into the lungs. "Sorry, couldn't help it. Kero... What _do_ you want to do then, if not campaigning for true equality, Kero?" She watched as he slowly lowered the rice ball down to the plate half-eaten. To her confusion she could see his face clouding over, and her own expression slowly went back to blank as she watched the visible struggle in his mind.

Across from her Izuku's mind was racing at a hundred miles an hour, her question igniting the debate that had raged in his mind for the last seven days. _"I... what do I want to do. What do I want to be?"_ His hand slowly closed into a fist, his claws dug tight into the tough skin of his palm as he struggled to find the answer. _"I want to say it. I still want to be one... I want to be a- I still want to be-"_ His breath caught in his throat, the words heaped on his head looming like a wave about to wash him away.

_"Monster." "Villain." "Never be good for anything." "Useless." "A Deku." "Shouldn't even be here in the first-"_

The gentle touch of a hand on his jolts him from his spiral, eyes shooting up to meet the gaze of the girl looking back at him. Her face seemed expressionless to outsiders, but he could see the concern and care behind her wide eyes. When she spoke, only he could hear the emotion in the words beneath the croaking and blunt tone. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ask a difficult question, Kero. You don't have to answer that right now." Her hand tightened on his, the soft feeling of her fingers on his rough skin sending a reassuring tingle up his arm before she pulled back. Haltingly... his mouth turned up into a smile, eyes trying to apologize to her, her own lips quirking up at the corners to let him know she could hear it. It was enough.

The sudden sound of a ringtone cut across the moment like a knife through butter, both teens blinking as they looked down. Pulling her phone from her pocket Tsuyu's eyes widened minutely at what she saw, quickly typing out a response before sending it and standing. "Sorry Izuku-chan, I lost track of time, Kero. My mother needs me home to take care of my siblings." Looking confused the boy looked at his own device before yelping and standing up himself.

"No no, that's fine! It's starting to get late again. My mom will kill me if I'm not home with a hero this time." Blinking at his strange wording the frog girl croaked out a laugh.

"That's a story to hear next time. Before i forget, give me your phone, Kero." Trusting to a fault, the greenette complies and curiously hands it over. Opening it and pressing buttons Tsuyu quickly types something into the device, before her phone let out a little bleep. Handing it back with a croak, the girl smiled at the armored boy. "There. Now you have my number, and I have yours. Feel free to text me, Kero, and we should definitely do this again." Izuku gaped at his phone where the contact of his new friend stared back at him. 

"Th-thanks Asui-san. I would really like that!" His earlier confidence faded a bit, but the buoying happiness gave him enough of a boost to smile shyly at the frog quirk user. Croaking softly, the girl stares at him before smiling back.

"Call me Tsu-chan. I want my friends to call me that." Well there went all his confidence like fog in the morning light. Izuku's face turned bright red as he stuttered out several attempts at the Japanese language before giving up and shakily nodding. "Good. Now walk with me to station, kero." Turning she lead the way this time while the boy scrambled to catch up before falling in to step beside her. Living in the neighboring prefecture she didn't have a long trip home, but it was both safer and more efficient to take the train. The silence between them was a comfortable one, the kind that friends will have and not feel the need to fill. It wrapped around them contentedly like a warm shawl, all the way to the station entrance where they stopped to say goodbye. 

Scratching his neck shyly, Izuku opened his mouth briefly before shutting it and instead grinning at her and holding his hand up to her. Without missing a beat, the fellow mutant raised her hand and slapped a solid five. Their oversize, slightly misshapen hands briefly rested palm to palm, and both of them couldn't help but notice that this way... they seemed like just the right size. Blushing slightly, the boy quickly retracted his and turned to go, speaking over his shoulder as he started to jog home. "It was great meeting you Asu-... T-Tsu-chan! See you soon!" Waving back at him, the girl croaked loudly as way of farewell before turning to move towards the ticket window.

Neither of them could tell why they had the sudden urge to turn and look back in the next moment. . . but turn they did. Several blocks away in the dying light, Izuku happily raised his hand to wave energetically to his friend. Her smile was visible to the enhanced eyes of the teen, and she raised her own hand in return. His gaze focused on her, attention on the phone in his other hand in case his mother called, he never noticed the figure step from the corner up behind him with a purposeful stride. But Tsuyu did, and her eyes widened with a very visible emotion _**fear/agony/terror**_ that shot through her normal expression. Her face was the last thing he saw, as the feeling of a cloth being pressed to his mouth and nose was followed almost immediately by chemical induced darkness.

_-x-_

Asui Tsuyu watched the split second actions of the man in a brown cloak in an eternal moment of confusion, terror, and anger. In the time it took her new friend's eyes to close, the girl had dropped her bag to the side and lurched forward, muscled legs propelling her nearly 8 meters towards them. As she landed on all fours already bracing her limbs to throw herself at the man taking Izuku, he had already turned and dragged him around the corner, his actions concise and almost professional as he vanished from her sight. Croaking angrily she launched herself like a green missile straight to the corner in less than 7 seconds since the man had pressed the cloth to the boy's mouth. Her feet impacted the streetlight pole on the corner, hands gripping to keep herself steady as she tried to re-orient herself to save her friend... only to see the back of a van skidding away from her with the back door closing on the sight of her unconscious monster. Letting out a terrified scream, "NO!!" she tried to leap to it, get a grip, something! She had to reach him, and her fingers were so close!

Only to miss by literal inches as she tumbled to the ground in a heap, crying out as the feeling of her knee being skinned by the asphalt pierced her frantic mind. Still she tried to lift her head, to struggle up to her feet, look after the vehicle, to do _anything_. Turning the corner, the white van barely braked as it hurtled away. Passing under a streetlight, the license plate was illuminated like a spotlight, the number flashing in her mind as she snapped onto it like a bear trap. She already knew she wouldn't be able to catch a speeding vehicle in her current condition, and Tsuyu sobbed as she started muttering the identification to herself over and over again, pulling her knee towards her chest. Behind her like a modern funeral bell she heard the sound of a ringtone, a cellphone. Looking back she could see the light of the device on the ground where her friend had stood. Lurching to her feet with a pained croak, she stumbled towards it to grab it like a lifeline, clutching it in both hands as she answers it.

_-Moments before-_

With the final parchment foe vanquished, Sakamata groaned loudly and sank back into his chair with a huff. Despite his excellent credentials even he had trouble swimming through this much red tape on the best of days, and though he knew that the paperwork had its place in heroism he briefly entertained one of his staff's offers to feed the pile to his slugs. Shaking off fanciful notions of shirking in his duty he sighed and stood up to stretch his arm out, pops coming from the cramped joints as he rotated the shoulder. Looking down he noticed the same paper, resting innocently on the corner of the desk and still unsigned. Glancing up at the clock above his desk, he hummed and pulled his cell phone from one of the suit pockets and selected a contact. "Surely he must be home by now. Should be a fine time to talk about it." 

The ringing of the phone played in his ear as he moved to stand beside his window, looking at the steadily growing nightlife of the Kanagawa prefecture while he waited. When the click of the connecting call sounded, he spoke without waiting. "Midoriya, I hope I haven't called at a bad time. There's an opportunity that I want to discuss with you. Can you talk?" There was no immediate answer, besides the faint sound of heavy breathing as someone had just finished running. Narrowing his eyes, Gang Orca was about to speak when a voice cut across the line. Definitely female, and definitely in distress, the girl sobbed as she managed to choke out the words that froze his heart and caused the window sill his hand gripped to crack.

"They... They got him. Midoriya-... Izuku's been taken."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the words of a famous bunny, "Ain't I a Stinker?" Welcome to the madhouse, my ducklings.  
> Whew that was a long one. Big chapter, but I just wanted to spoil you guys and gals! Hope you can forgive me. :) I'm gonna add angst to the tags though, definitely applicable. As always, Comments are love, and I hope you're enjoying yourselves! Stay tuned for the exciting followup on Wednesday!


	10. Chapter 10: Promise and Circumstance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The world keeps turning, pieces start to come together, and a worried dolphin starts his desperate search.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, if you're reading this you haven't ragequit the story yet! Or just didn't throw your monitor.  
> So Izuku's been kidnapped. Yup, that happened. "But WHY?" is the real question. Well, I suppose you'll just have to read on to find out.

**Chapter 10: Promise and Circumstance**

The sun rose slowly over Musutafu that day, and the light falling through a window with blinds thrown wide crept across a table strewn with papers, printed pictures, and a long empty coffee cup. Sitting at the table shuffling through the pictures and occasionally turning to type something into the police computer beside, sat a very tired looking Gang Orca. The hero's suit jacket was carefully hung on the back of a chair with his tie atop it, while the picture of a green haired teen smiled up at the ceiling from the center of the table. His red eyes were dull with the lack of sleep, but never stopped sifting across the many feeds from the traffic cameras on the screen in front of him, giving not so much as a sound when a knock hit the door before it opened. "Sakamata-san, I brought you the files you asked for." Stepping into the room the man in an open front brown trench-coat set the stack of folders down, before turning to the pro-hero with a frown. "You haven't slept at all, have you." His tone made it clear that it wasn't really a question, more a statement of the obvious. The orca in question blinked as he turned from the computer to face the detective, expression a little glazed over before he groaned at reached up to pinch his brow.

"No, not a wink. I've been searching the traffic feeds for signs of the van." Sakamata Kugo was tired, and his voice relayed that fact clearly. His mind wandered over the details again even as he turned to pick up the folders, flipping over the first one while he ran back from the moments of his call. . . 

_-The night_ _before_ -

A scant two seconds of shocked silence after the words of the girl on the phone, and his hero training kicked in. "Who am I speaking to, where are you, did you see who took him? Tell me everything." Turning with the loud swish of his cloak the cetacean strode out into his agency, shouting for his sidekicks to come with him and for support to get the Musutafu Police on the line. All the while, he'd listened to the panicked words of the teen on the phone with him, responding with occasional questions between her teary tale and croaking. "Asui-san, I'm a pro-hero, Gang Orca. I'm on my way to your location now, but police will be there before me. First, make certain you aren't in danger, then I want you to tell them everything you told me. I'll be there as soon as I can." He arrived in a small garage area and immediately strode to a large (black of course) SUV parked and idling in its spot. Sliding into the passenger seat he heard the sounds of the back doors closing behind his sidekicks, turning to the man at the wheel. "Musutafu. Train station at Fifth and Corsant."

"You got it boss man!" The man beside him fired off a jaunty salute before plunging the car into gear and pulling out of the garage, his large multi-faceted eyes giving him plenty of vision range while his gossamer wings shifted nervously against the seat. "This a siren emergency, or just a normal urgency?" The Hero wasted no time answering, instead simply reaching down and flicking on the flashing blue light and short tone siren with one finger. Nodding, the bug-man continued. "Real bad, got it. Hang on boys, it might get a little bumpy." With a screech of rubber the SUV tore out of the exit, pulling into traffic with an expert turn before rocketing off towards the neighboring prefecture.

When they arrived less than an hour later, the group exited their vehicle to find a police cordon around an intersection, flashing lights and uniforms making the scene a shifting watercolor of blue and red. Gang Orca's eyes roved across the figures on the scene until they came to rest on the back of an ambulance, where a flash of green hair caught his attention. Moving closer he found the girl he assumed to be Asui Tsuyu, being interviewed by an officer with a cat's head. When they caught sight of the hero the girl immediately jumped up, hands bunched in her skirt as she hurriedly addressed him. "G-gang Orca, Kero. I-I-I'm sorry. I couldn't stop them, they- they took Izuku, Kerrrro." The tears in her eyes built as she bowed her head, the words strangled by a series of croaks that sounded almost like sobbing.

Gently, ever so gently, the large man knelt down beside her, bringing his considerable down to her level, while one hand came to rest on her shoulder. "Asui-san, stop." Her voice cut off as she kept her head down, quiet croaks still escaping her clenched jaw. Letting out more of the soft clicks in his chest, the hero tried to reassure her. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. You had no obligation to do anything, yet you still tried to save your friend. You put yourself into the possibility of danger without a moments hesitation, and for that I thank you. You tried your best, and that's more than anyone could have asked." With her head coming up Sakamata could see she heard his words, but knew by the look in her eyes that believing them would not come so easily. With a hum he moved back over to the ambulance and sat on the edge of the back, patting the metal beside him while taking a small dictation recorder from a pocket. "Come sit. If you can bear to, I would appreciate it greatly if you could repeat the events of tonight, from the beginning." With another quiet ribbit, the younger mutant moved and sat beside him, taking a deep breath before restarting the tale once more.

The better part of an hour later, and Gang Orca slipped the recorder back into his pocket, brow furrowed between his white eye spots. The picture painted by the frog girl was worrying, since the planning shown by the kidnapper indicated that it was unlikely to be a random grab. Putting the van into place required at least some fore planning, and the smooth assurance in their actions proved that it wasn't a first time offender. Added to that was the recent reports of abductions in Musutafu that he was already investigating. In summary a mess, and it stank to high heaven of something brewing. Beside him the green haired teen shifted nervously before speaking up. "Gang Orca, Sir?" Turning to look at her, he met pleading eyes and a down turned mouth that caused a slight twinge in his child loving heart, wishing to make that expression go away. "You'll save him, right? You're gonna get Izuku back, kero?"

Despite knowing how dangerous promises were in his profession, Sakamata Kugo replied without hesitation. "If it's the last thing I do. Don't worry, I'm going to find him. Then I'll bring him back." The cat officer flicked an ear as he spoke, and another uniformed one frowned at him sternly, though he was ignored. Standing up with a grunt, the orcinus quirk user turned to the officer and spoke softly, but with authority. "Make sure she gets home. I won't have any others go missing on our watch." The officer looked like he was going to protest, but a glance at the cat faced man instead saw him saluting and turning to offer the girl a safe ride home. Turning back to her, he reached out to help her up off of the medical vehicle's bumper. "Asui-san, this police officer will ensure you make it home safe. I have your information, as do they, and if there are any other questions we'll direct them to you." The girl nodded as she stood up with her bag in tow, starting to follow the man before pausing. Turning back she wordlessly holds out something to the hero.

Holding out his hand he receives a cell-phone, the All Might case cracked in one corner where it must have hit the pavement. Flipping it open he found the a picture of Midoriya Izuku and his mother, posing together in front of a dinner table, the smile on his face easy and uninhibited by any worries of the world or its biases. The sight of that smile is like a shot to the chest, the man unable to look away as he hears Asui speaking. "When you get him back, give him this, Kero. He's gonna need it once he gets home. Kero Kero... and tell him to call me." The simple request fills him with determination like a surging fire, looking up and nodding as he closes the phone with a click before slipping it into his pocket. The officer and student head to a nearby cruiser, pulling out of the cordon and onto the road. Behind him he could hear as his sidekicks began coordinating with the police force, and the tall mutant turned to the street in front of him. In the harsh radiance of a streetlamp Gang Orca contemplated the skid marks of a van, speckled with tiny almost imperceptible drops of blood from a brave girl.

_-Present-_

The rest of the night had been spent in correlating all the data they had available to them, and... informing Ms. Midoriya. Sakamata did it himself, unwilling to put the burden on anyone else. As he reached for the first folder, the teary eyed mother's face flashed in his mind, her words imparted through a weak smile. _"I know my Izuku would trust you... So I'll trust you to do it. P-please, bring me back my baby."_ Twice in a night he'd been tempted into making the often frowned upon promise, taking her number and informing her she would be the first to know when there was progress. Refocusing on the paper in front of him... he frowned as he read through the information, dated a week prior to today. _"Another abduction. No notes for ransom or any communications, victim was young, female, quirk was... Hm."_ Setting the page aside he pulled the next one from the stack, this one two weeks or so. Quickly skimming through, he found the entry for the victim again, this time male but with the same linking factor- _Thunk_ He startled at the sound of a mug hitting the table, looking over to see the detective Tsukauchi Naomasa settling into a chair with his own cup. "You seemed engrossed. Anything to go off of?"

Sakamata grunted before claiming the cup of fresh coffee and downing half of it. "I think so. All of the victims seemed random, with no pattern save one." He slid the folder over the table to the man, watching over the rim of the cup as he read the open page. "Every victim of this rash of abductions has some degree of mutation based quirk." The detective looked up at that eyebrow raised before looking through each folder and finding his assertion to be correct.

"You think it's important?" Tsukauchi hummed as he contemplated the spread of information. "Our analysts originally dismissed the link as tenuous coincidence, trying to focus instead on locale or method patterns."

"With no sign of kidnapped communications, It's clear they aren't in it to ransom them back for money. Barring selling them into slavery or gods forbid, more physical uses for the victims, it's the best linking pattern we have." The Pro-hero sighed as he leaned back into the chair, the metal groaning a bit under his weight. "We should look into the possibility of anti-mutant groups being responsible. Failing that, pull informants on any trafficking rings in the area, or Quirk traders." Both men winced at that thought. The illegal trading of a person just for their quirk was a nasty business, often times devaluing the basic humanity of a person. Nothing quite like being seen as a walking weapon and treated as merchandise to cause lifelong trauma. Moving to place the coffee mug back down he fails to place it completely on the surface, the sudden shatter of the mug falling the floor below piercing the air like a knife, causing the normally stoic hero to let out an uncharacteristic growl of annoyance.

"Hey, Sakamata." At the detective's soft voice the orca looked up to find a sympathetic face looking back at him, a small key held out in one hand. "We're no stranger to all nighters here, but we need you to be in top condition when a breakthrough occurs. _When_ it does." Tsukauchi places the key in his palm before closing the larger man's fingers around it. "Out the door, take a left and head to the end of the hallway, last door on your left. There's a cot in there where you can rest. We'll find him Sakamata-san, and you'll be ready to tear him from their clutches when we do." Leaning back he then stands up and goes to grab a broom and dustpan, starting to clean up the shards of ceramics.

Despite the urge to argue against his logic, he knew that the man was right. With a sigh and soft word of thanks, Sakamata rose and grabbed his cloak and jacket from the chair and left the room. Following the directions given to him by the detective, he found the locked room without issue. Entering he found the promised cot set against the wall, with a small crate serving as a table beside a metal locker the only other furnishings. Leaving the light off and trusting his sonar Gang Orca tossed his outer layer to the crate in the corner, piling his tie on top for good measure before removing his shoes and laying down on his side. Fatigue rushed up to swamp him like a tidal wave, letting him realize with some amusement just how right the detective had been. As his eyes closed and sleep hurried to claim him, his brain latched on to the two promises he'd made before making a third one, both to himself and to a green haired boy.

_"I will find you, and I will rescue you Midoriya. I swear that."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do Heroes get sirens? I feel like not all heroes will have the ability to fly or jump or swing their way to emergencies, so it's not that far fetched for them to have siren rights, right? :D  
> So yeah, back to a smaller chapter but don't worry! I just wanted to separate a couple things out to help the story pacing in my head. Next time we'll get our first glimpse at our Monster Boi's situation.


	11. Chapter 11: Caged Beast Rising

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Red Strings a thrummin', Reckonin's a comin', Monster bean about done in...  
> Angry Dad Orca comes Runnin'.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would you believe that we're past the 10 mark? Man, I'm both surprised and absolutely overwhelmed by the positive responses I've gotten to this story. Sincerely, thank you all for reading and commenting on it. Anyways, enough sappy stuff, you're here for that delicious narrative. Let's dive back in, and see as our armored cinnamon roll wakes up... and this time, I really am sorry.

**Chapter 11: Caged Beast Rising**

At the Tatooin station, a gigantic purse snatcher roared as he swung wildly to keep the police and heroes at bay. The crowd watched on as the almost commonplace sight of heroes and villains struggling for dominance took place on their daily commute. A small space formed in the crowd, where-

~~**the smallest twang, as if a red string was plucked** **softly**~~

nobody pushed forward to stand beside a man with strange protrusions on his head. The people quickly filled that hole when a massive woman drop kicked the villain to the road below, waving at the public as the cameras flashed. The people went on with their day as if nothing had happened, chatting about the fight and debut of a new hero.

In a small industrial zone near the north edge of Musutafu a lone warehouse stood looking abandoned amidst a small copse of trees, the overgrown road leading to a large dock bay flanked by an empty guardhouse. All was quiet, the morning sounds of birds and distant city life a gentle backdrop to the idyllic scene. The sound of boots on gravel and the view is broken by a figure moving around the corner of the building, angled face topped by a grey beanie over a long coat that was out of place in the seasonal spring weather. The shining sunlight reflects off of matte black metal that peeks from beneath the coat's edge, while his green eyes roved across the horizon made up of their little lot of land. Moving towards the guardhouse, he pauses and looks back and forth before stepping through the rusty door that opens and closes with a well oiled silence. 

Inside the small room, the boarded up windows hide a well lit space backed by a small set of monitors. Each color screen showed several views, either of perimeter shots from cameras on the lookout for intruders or the internal cameras showing several rooms. There was a rough and tumble living space, stocked with several cots that held a few sleeping men while others rested on chairs around a table playing cards. Another showed what appeared to be a laboratory space mixed with science lab, a tall figure in a full length brown coat with a hood moving between several workbenches and machines with an almost jaunty step. The last few were different angles of a large storage room, filled with cages. . . inside of which human figures could be seen either laying or sitting, with shadowy figures patrolling in around the edges of the room.

Sitting down at the desk with a grunt, Alex Bronn set his slung rifle beside him against it. Cracking his knuckles the soldier for hire began the monotonous duty of checking for abnormalities on their CC system, fingers tapping out a small beat on the wooden surface of the table as he hummed. The next three hours passed without anything of note, each hour on the 45 minute mark accompanied by another patrol circuit around the building itself. When he returned after his walk some motion in one of the cages draws his attention and he scoffs, reaching for the radio sitting on its charger beside him. Bringing it to his mouth, he watched as the green haired mutant looked around confusedly before scrambling to one corner, snorting as it started to panic with thrashing tail. "Larry, go get the doc. His newest subject just woke up."

_-In the cage room-_

Midoriya Izuku was swimming in a lake of black muck, trying to struggle to the surface with leaden limbs dragging him down like weights. No matter how hard he kicked the surface seemed no closer, his panicked muffled cries lost in the soft glop of the malignant goo. Fear and anger swirled in his head as he fought back against the lethargic grip of the mire, reaching upwards for... something! Anything! _"Just! Get! Me! OUT!!"_ A muted roar filled his senses like white noise, and through the murky vision he caught a glimpse of red eyes glowing like fires above him. He felt something plunged into the mud, a massive hand gripping his arm and yanking him up with another much clearer roar as he broke the surface-

To come up gasping, his eyes snapping open as he tried to instinctively scramble to his feet only to fall back on his rear. His legs weren't working right, pins and needles wracking the limbs as he frantically tried to sort out dream from reality. Looking around at the room around him several things quickly became apparent to the young mutant. First, he was still clothed in his school uniform. Secondly, the metal bars of the cage he was in came into focus, along with the dimly lit space beyond them. _"Some kind of storage room? Warehouse?"_ His sharp mind provided him despite the quickly fading foggy thoughts. Third, and arguably most important, he wasn't alone in here _**foes/enemies/danger/prey**_.

With his frantic breathing in and out, his scenting was easily able to keep up an almost constant input of his scent-sight. On one side of the cage there was a row of several others, with a few of them pinging back the bright white outlines of other people either sitting or laying inside of them. His mind subconsciously cataloged their distinct scents, most likely due to their mutant quirks stimulating his instincts. Around the edges of the room were several figures pacing slowly along a raised catwalk that ran along the wall, with one stepping softly across one of the walkways that bisected the room above him. He could smell the scent of oil and what he somehow recognizes as gunpowder _**anger/danger/fire/fear/terror**_ coming from the objects cradled in their arms, hackles raising as his tail lashed back and forth. 

Scooting backwards Izuku whimpered as he wrapped his hands around his head, back crackling as his quirk began to thrash and writhe beneath his skin, nails lengthening as his panic starts to override the strict control he maintained over it. Taking deep breaths he tried to calm down, rationalize the situation in his head while he ran through the control exercises he'd learned on the internet all those years ago. _"Okay let's calm down. **fear/anger** First things first, Where are we." _Raising his head slightly he tried to take a deeper inhale, sniffing softly as he parsed through the huge influx of smells. _"Ugh. Disinfectant? Smells like a hospital, but worse. There's blood.... but its old. Um, more people **danger/predators/lesser** oh hush! Focus!" _He shook his head as he carefully tried to look around, quirk back under control for now.

 _"I can smell old bricks, the scent of greenery like the forest We- **anger/fear/friends..**.. I used to play in. Beyond that it smells like metal, gasoline, something industrial probably... I got nothing besides that."_ Peering around he tried to match the figures in the room with his eyes too, he watched one of the guards lean on the railing and look across the cages with a gun slung across his chest. _"These guys don't look like military, but they don't act like the stereotypical street thugs. Maybe they're professionals laying low. There are five in the room, four of them moving on the corners, while the last one walks the middle catwalk above. No cover, nothing to hide behind, and the lock on the cage looks... oh wow."_ His thoughts trailed off as he looked at the beefy lock on the front of the cage. Even from the inside he could tell it was serious stuff, and looking across to an empty cage he could see the electronic interface, complete with keypad and a thumb scanner. _".... definitely professionals."_

Before his thoughts could continue he was interrupted by the sound of a metal door swinging open with a startlingly loud creak, the unexpected noise nearly causing him to yelp as his head whipped around to stare at the entrance. Standing framed and lit from behind in the doorway was a tall man wearing an open-front leather coat, the shoulders of which continued up into a pointed hood. Stepping into the large space he almost casually reached back to slowly close the door behind him with his foot, the drawn out scream of hinges rusty from lack of use like nails on a chalkboard to the enhanced ears of the mutant boy. When it finally ceased there was a soft chuckle from the hooded figure, the pitch low and raspy like a whisper in the dark, before the man walked with almost bouncy steps towards the cage that held the teen. 

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Had to finish the mixture or risk it exploding. Wouldn't do to start a fire in here after all, not quite up to... code." On anyone else the deep baritone voice might have been melodic and soothing, but every hair on his head seemed to stand on end as his instincts screamed at him every second he spoke. _**DANGER/PREDATOR/HIDE/FLEE**_ Everything in his body felt like it was pressed down by a weight so great Izuku swore his bones creaked. Stopping in front of the bars the man squatted down with a grunt, before settling back onto his rear and bringing one leg up to rest an arm on. Reaching up with his free hand he grasped the hood and tossed it back, shaking his head as his short grey hair spiked up naturally above close shaved sides. The wide, grey eyes stared at him with the disturbing focus of the insane, as the man's wide smile stretched the scar across his nose. "It's good to meet face to face, rather than across a knockout rag, eh?"

Reaching up to cover his mouth as bile rose up in his throat, Izuku focused on controlling his primitive fear response to the aura this man put off like a skunk spraying stink. When he thought he wouldn't vomit he swallowed heavily, his voice forcing past the sudden blockage in his windpipe. "Wh-... Who're you? What do you want with me?" When he spoke the grey haired man in front of him chuckled darkly,reaching down to a pocket in the coat and pulling out a small black carton which he thumbed open to reveal a cigarette. Placing it between his lips he replaced the empty container with a heavy metal lighter with a clink before lighting the end of the tobacco and inhaling, the cherry red glow lighting up his gleeful eyes before he slowly breathed out a cloud of smoke.

With a grin like the devil's welcoming committee, the man spoke cheerily as he leaned in towards the heavy metal cage. "Me? My name is Doctor Gregori Mallus. What I want with you is quite simple actually. I need some help with a project of mine, and you my dear mutated resource, might just be the final piece to my gorgeous little puzzle."

_-In a crappy middle school, in a shitty classroom-_

The day had been slow for Bakugou Katsuki. Not only did he have to deal with the yammering extras talking his ears off, the boy couldn't get the minutes before leaving his house this morning. As the teacher entered the room chattering something about some stupid surveys, his baleful red eyes were drawn once again towards the empty desk in the corner of the room. The desk of a nuisance that just wouldn't leave no matter how loud he yelled and shouted, kept coming back no matter how hard he hit it... As the class burst into cheers and started to show off their quirks the angry boy was uncharacteristically silent. From outside all that could be seen was a teenager staring at an absent student's desk, but inside the words of his mother kept playing on repeat, her serious face across the breakfast table keeping any flippant remarks from his tongue. _"Brat, Inko called. It's little Izuku. He is-... He's been kidnapped."_

The blonde's fist clenched on the desk, crushing an unfortunate pencil with a snap and a crackle of tiny explosions from his sweat. Deku was gone, taken by some freak in a van like some sort of crappy crime drama. His mind was stuck in a spiral of denial and anger, trying to figure out why there was a nasty thick emotion curling in his chest. He growled as he exploded the worksheet in front of him, inadvertently silencing the noisy class while his mind raged. _"That monster isn't so weak. Not my-... enemy. Stupid fucking Deku... don't you dare fucking die, or I'll kill you."_

_-Later in Musutafu-_

A villain with a quirk who turned his body to slime cackled as he fled down the road with valuables adrift in his gelatinous body. Behind him, a skeletal yellow haired man glanced around before bulking up to give chase. In the distance, Aldera middle school released their students to go home, and an explosive teen ignored his lackey's requests to go to the arcade, instead returning home to brood on the feelings in his chest. A police station housed a sleeping hero, around him working tirelessly were officers looking for something. Just a clue, any clue, one teeny tiny piece that would help them find the boy that spurred on the best lead they had on a serial abduction case. The sun crept across the sky, while in the dark between worlds written the ~~**sound of strings thrumming under tension, a chain rattling**~~ echoed across the vast void.

_-Back in the hideout-_

Izuku frowned as he held a short and enigmatic conversation with Doctor Gregori Mallus. The man had said nothing more on the puzzle he'd mentioned, instead taking to asking questions about the boy's quirk. Confused and suspicious he'd refused to share anything but the most basic of details, something that didn't seem to bother the doctor much if at all. After finishing his questions the doctor had stood up, moving towards a small table that had gone unnoticed until now and rifling through something on it as he spoke back to the teen. "Well, as informative as this has been, I'm afraid that progress waits for no man or beast. Now then, I'll be needing some blood." Returning back to the cage, he'd brandished an empty medical syringe with a grin, the needle glinting in the faint sunlight from high windows and the electric lamps above. Scrambling back against the bars the greenette had just stared at him aghast, his clear unwillingness drawing a sigh from the man. "Ah yes, the hard way I see."

Moving back down into a squat, the doctor reached under the back of his coat as he spoke cheerfully in a conversational tone. "Listen here you little creature, I'm a busy man. I need your blood, and you will give it to me. Filthy, impure monsters such as you don't get to deny their betters anything." With the sound of steel on leather he drew a blade from a sheath on his back, the weapon a twisted love child of sleek sword and heavy cleaver above a lovingly crafted thick knuckle guard hilt. The blade was easily thirty-four inches (86.36cm) long with the hilt adding another six to the total (101cm total), while it boasted a six inch (15.24cm) width. It had one cutting edge, but the boy's enhanced vision could see some sort of wiring running along the dull back of the blade towards the hilt. As he flicked a cleverly hidden switch, the scent of ozone reached him and a faint whining sound filled his ears. "If you refuse, then I've no choice but to encourage you to behave." With that he reached out and touched the blade against one of the bars opposite Izuku, the clicking of a trigger was his only warning.

With a sharp whine electricity arched across the steel of the blade and into the bar of the cage. Faster than he could react it traveled through the opposite bar, Izuku was screaming as he lurched away from the intense pain jolting through his body as he convulsed to the floor. The scent of singed flesh soured the room, followed by the sound of retching as some of the more scent sensitive mutants in the other cages strained to keep from hurling, even as the others looked away from the boy's pain, intent on making sure they weren't next. Head spinning like a top the greenette whimpered while tears slid down his cheeks, his ears ringing with the remnants of the shocking noise and an internal roar of rage and pain. He vaguely felt his arm being lifted, and the sting of the needle was completely lost beneath the lingering hurt of the punishment. "Much better. See, was that so hard? All you need to do is give samples when i need them, and we'll get along just fine." With another dark chuckle, the Doctor stood up and examined the blood in the light, flicking the glass with a nail before carefully storing the syringe in a case. "I've got to get back to work little thing. Play nice with the other monsters, won't you?"

Izuku faintly heard the retreating footsteps as he whimpered and curled in on himself, tail curved around to cover his head. The sound of the door opening and then slamming closed crashed through his throbbing head while he cradled his arm. Running almost completely on instinct as his conscious mind spiraled down into fear and steadily increasing self doubt, the monstrous boy's mouth made a strange motion before a long slightly orange tongue flicked out to drag across the burn. _"Please... Somebody help me. I don't wanna be here anymore. I don't wanna be a monster anymore. Please..."_ Sobbing as he lost the battle to the tears, the boy cried in the metal cage. His throat worked before he opened his mouth to let out a low, keening cry that filled the room like a dirge. The guards stopped and glanced at him but as the rise and fall of the cry coincided with his crying they ultimately chose to ignore it, and the teenager cried on. Around him the other captives looked on with sympathy, several of the younger ones openly joining his sorrow with their own various cries and sobs. 

In the hallway outside the room Doctor Mallus smiled at the symphony behind him, before turning and bouncing towards the laboratory. He had work to do after all, and with the new blood he no doubt had breakthroughs galore to look forward to. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out the black carton and thumbed it open... only to stop with a frown at the empty space where his beloved smokes should be. With a growl he grabbed a small radio off his belt and snarled into it. "Larry, take Tommison and go get me more smokes. I have experiments waiting and if i don't have them in an hour, you're on the table instead." Clicking the one-way off with a satisfying snap, he replaced it on his belt and stalked off grumpily towards the lab. Couldn't do work without his damn cigarettes after all.

_-20 minutes later, convenience store-_

Stopping the van putting it in park, Larry Dovaken motioned for his partner to go into the store, quickly throwing in some signs in JSL for good measure. Tommison "Ghost" Jerard shook his head as he laughed out loud. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I wouldn't wanna be on the bossman's table neither. Don't worry, I'm on it." Giving a teasing salute, the man exited the passenger door before stretching with a groan as his back cracked. Glancing around as he double checked his quirk was up he smirked and walked towards the entrance to the store with no fear. "Surveil" wasn't a particularly powerful or flashy quirk, but the ability was integral to their groups continued survival. Tommison could designate up to three people or objects at a time and for an indefinite period, and each of his targets would effectively become ghosts to electronic surveillance. People's faces would be changed to a randomly generated nondescript stranger and objects would have any identifying traits completely reshaped to make them untraceable or unnoticeable. It didn't help for people, but when you effectively became someone else to cameras the moment you left line of sight it was a small drawback to have, and had secured his place as the highest paid mercenary on the Doctor's payroll. 

Whistling as he entered the store he immediately headed towards the counter to purchase the crazed scientist's beloved tobacco. Unbeknownst to him, a tired looking green haired woman was shuffling through the aisle towards the register as well, the hot coffee in her hand almost forgotten as he mind revolved around her missing son. As he was handed the cigarettes, Tommison threw a 1000 yen note onto the counter with a cheerful "Keep the change!" and turned to leave-

**~~A mirror cracking, the chain louder and more insistent~~ **

With a yelp, Midoriya Inko collided with the taller man headfirst. The coffee in her hand went flying to splash all down his front, the scalding liquid soaking his belly and the crotch of his jeans as he gave out a most unmanly squeal. Babbling out apologies the distraught mother tried to hurry and help the man clean himself, the surprisingly good-natured foreigner trying to reassure her there was no harm done as he also tried to pull the uncomfortably hot material from his sensitive bits and hurry on his way. Going completely unnoticed, the mental hold on his quirk had slipped during the exchange, any targets he had designated reverting instantly to their normal form in surveillance... including license plates. Across the prefecture a police computer let out an urgent beep, drawing the eyes of a tired detective... who leapt to his feet and rushed from the room.

_-Musutafu Police Headquarters-_

His sleep was troubled, and something just on the edge of his senses was pushing the tension in his body higher and higher. Clicking angrily Sakamata Kugo looked around for the threat his body was telling him was present, an increasingly urgent need to reach out and grasp _something_ taking over his mind. In the distance he could hear a keening cry, the sound heart wrenching as it conveyed pain, loneliness, self hate, and a desperate need to be told it was going to be alright. Running forward he tried to find the source, knowing that he needed to help it, needed to protect it. His lungs filled with air as he inhaled deeply, before opening his jagged tooth jaws wide and letting out the loudest echoing cry he could, the rising call of an orca lashing out across the darkness towards the heartbroken cry-

A loud crash brought red eyes opening, Gang Orca immediately leaping to his feet in a fighting stance with arms outstretched and fingers curled. Blinking he saw that the wall opposite him was cracked and crumbling slightly, the aftermath looking suspiciously like one of his sonic blasts. Standing in the open doorway was Tsukauchi, hair wild and eyes wide as he watched the hero with a dropped jaw. Slowly straightening up from his ready position, the orcinus quirk user let out a clicking growl as he looked to the detective curiously. Shaking himself as if he'd remembered why he was there, the detective half turned from the room as he spoke with an urgent tone. "We've got something." The law enforcer yelped as the black and white shape rushed past him towards the workroom hurrying to catch up after another look at the wall, trying to bury the heartbreaking sound he'd heard that broke the wall into pieces. He arrived to see Sakamate standing stiff as he stared at the computer screen, a perfect still picture of a white van with a matching license plate framed beautifully in the camera. Turning to him the man couldn't help but tense up and shiver at the intense flames behind the red eyes set into white, as the pro-hero cracked his teeth in a menacing grimace.

**"Round up a raid, Tsukauchi. Let's go get Midoriya back."**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooooooh boy! Things are coming to a head!! (Please no hurt me, Izuku needed just a little pain. ;-;)  
> So to give you an idea of how I envision Doctor Mallus, I want you to picture the aspects mentioned of the following characters: His body and hair are built like Scar from FMA but he doesn't have the tattoos or massive facial scar, instead just a flat line cut scar across the bridge of his nose. Then take the cigarette, personality, and insane smile of Dr. Stein from Soul eater, complete with fascination for dissection and research. Lastly, Take the voice and crazy eyes (Steel grey instead of purple) of Joker from Fire force, the japanese voice actor to be precise. Seriously, look for a clip of him talking to the MC in the fire force competition episode. Oh, and look up a "Sledgehammer Brown Leather Trench Coat", not sponsored It's just the best i could find to help the visual. I hope this helps you get the feel for the character I'm trying to portray through Doctor Gregori Mallus, A.K.A. A-class villain Scalptor. :)  
> NEXT TIME! DORCA HAS ARRIVED! And he is NOT happy.


	12. Chapter 12: ???

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Am I not good enough? This person that I am, is it not worth as much as the rest? Who did say that one man was greater or lesser than another, I would dearly like to know..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No spoilers, nothing clever, just read my lovely little ducklings.

**Chapter 12: ???**

The response time had been remarkably short, with SAT backup rallied in the span of an hour and several cruisers prepped to create a cordon around the now identified abandoned warehouse complex. After the original traffic camera hit and ping, Gang Orca and Detective Tsukauchi had painstakingly followed the route of the vehicle, even after it had seemed to miraculously change into a four door sedan mid drive. Watching the footage back, the Pro-Hero had barely caught the hand motion of the passenger before the change, indicating that it was likely due to a technological quirk. Manually following the vehicle from camera to camera had proved effective enough to bypass the digital camouflage, and the two law enforcers had watched as the vehicle pulled off of a side road through an Industrial zone. It had finished its trip by pulling into a rolling garage type door that was quickly shut behind it, a man in a parka style coat glancing both ways before meandering off to the seemingly abandoned guardhouse. 

That had been two hours ago, and now... Gang Orca was ready. Wearing his signature suit and cloak he waited around the corner of a former factory building, out of sight from the warehouse they were preparing to strike like lightning from a clear blue sky. Pacing back and forth in a slow methodical circuit along the concrete wall beside him, Sakamata did yet another check of his various tools and equipment, the process second nature by now. Twelve tranquilizer capsules on the vest beneath his jack, Five pairs of quirk-suppressant cuffs under his cloak, radio ear piece, a small utility knife strapped to his arm beneath the sleeve... 

Everything where it should be, he was as well rested as he could be, and they had all forces present that would be. But still his instincts gnawed at his mind, tension laying like a thick cloud over the area. Only on rare occasions had he felt this oppressive feeling, and each of them preceded a mission that inevitably went awry. Turning for another pass the Pro-hero stops at the feeling of a hand pressed to his shoulder. Turning he looked down to see the stoic face of his sidekick, the mutant's large eyes blinking once as his head cocked to the side. "You alright there, boss? Boys in blue gonna get nervous if you keep wearing a divot in the dirt. Cant have them gettin' cold feet now amigo."

Inhaling deeply, the orca man knew that he was right. Even without looking he could feel the gaze of the officers on this side on him, and he shook his head ruefully. "You're right. Thank you, Slim." The bug mutant grinned and shot a finger gun at the larger man.

"You know me boss, always here to bug you when you're feeling down! Now come on, trenchy is giving out last minute instructions to the team leads." He turned and led the way back towards one of the unmarked cars, where Sakamata could see Tsukauchi and several others gathered, arriving just as the detective was finishing his briefing. "-lying on the concerted efforts of you all. You have ten minutes to brief your teams, five after that the signal will be given to begin. Disperse!" With quick salutes each of the police squad leaders made away from the vehicle, presumably to find and prep their teams. Sighing and running a hand through his hair the truth detector closed his eyes, breathing deeply as he leaned back against the door of his vehicle. Glancing over to the approaching hero, he stood back up with a grim smile. "Gang Orca, is everything ready on your end?"

"Ready and waiting. Myself and two sidekicks are prepared to accompany your forces on this side, while local heroes Kamui Woods and Death Arms are standing by opposite." He reached up to gently scratch one finger along the side of his neck as he turned to contemplate the direction of their target, humming before continuing. "We've sent word to other nearby agencies and they've pledged support in the event its needed, but they declined to send anyone unless necessary to keep a heroic presence elsewhere in the prefecture." He understood their thought process, of course he did. But it certainly didn't help his unusually antsy instincts to think that some people would rather sit out until it was needed, regardless of the logical reasoning behind it.

"Well, It's good to know that we've got heroes watching our backs. These guys may not be headline villains, but they're dangerous all the same." The detective moved up beside him, pulling up his service revolver and methodically checking each of the five bullets therein. The snap of the cylinder closing was crisp in the steadily approaching evening, the sun moving towards the trees at a stately pace. They'd have approximately two hours before darkness at the time of their signal, and they intended to make the most of it. Gang Orca inhaled deeply, before letting the breath out in a slow tension killing release.

 _"It's going to be fine. We'll get through this, we'll arrest these abductors, and Midoriya will be safe."_ He repeated the thoughts through his head like a mantra as he moved to the corner of the concrete wall. Behind him he could hear the shapes of Slim and his second sidekick, a newly graduated hero called Riposte, move up to take their positions. Slim's wings flickered out briefly as he checked over his home made support item, the strange gun slipping into a holster on his back as he flashed a thumbs up at his boss. Clicking deep in his chest, Sakamata Kugo sent a couple of soft pings in the direction of the enemy compound to try and get a visual of the immediate area. The timer ticked down slowly in his mind, as only five minutes remained til they moved...

In the boarded up guard house the mercenary's head shot up from where it was leaning on his hand in boredom. The sound of the chair falling over as he stood up and turned his head every which way followed quickly after. The former soldier's quirk was sending him a constant thrum of dread, the emotion building up in his chest and stomach as he gripped the handle of his rifle before reaching for the handheld radio on the desk. Flipping the switch on the side, he barked into it urgently as he hit a series of buttons on the keyboard in front of him. "Everyone, get up! Red alert, and get to your positions. I just got a very bad feeling. Larry! Get the doc!" With a flourish he hit the enter key and turned to the nearby coat rack where he doffed the jacket in favor of beginning to strap on his bulletproof vest.

_-x-_

Shortly prior inside the building, Izuku's keening had ceased a while ago. The teen had instead curled up on the floor of his cage as he cradled his heavily singed arm to his chest, mind wandering and lost in a daze of sadness. Almost unaware of his surroundings he sunk further into the blackness of his head. Like an overlay on his vision he could see himself curled at the base of a stony cliff, back pressed against the vine covered wall as he cried. _"Why does it always end up like this?"_ The tiny form of a younger Izuku sniffled again as he looked out towards tall, alien looking trees. He could see it, of course he could, the large black shape moving amidst the foliage. It was always there, no matter what he did to repress it or try to lock it away, growling as it glared at him through inhuman red eyes. _"No matter how hard I try, it always comes back to this. I really am just a monster, like Kacchan said..."_ The boy's head was pressed further into his arms, whimpering as he started to give in to the constant thoughts lurking in his head, the self-hatred and wish that he wasn't here anymore... 

The sound of a radio squawking in his sensitive ears snapped him from the spiral of self-destructive thought, his head coming up in shock as the tinny voice reached him from the now still guards on the catwalks above. "-alert, and get-... Larry! Get the doc!" The distant shouts from further in the building reached him as he slowly sat up from his fetal position and looked around. The five guards above them had begun yelling to each other, making their way down to the ground floor before splitting up. Two of them Stood in the center of the room with guns pointed loosely towards the door, while the others hurried out into the hallway beyond. Leaning against the bars the green haired mutant caught a glimpse of moving shapes before the metal portal slammed shut.

 _"Is somebody here?_ _**confusion/tension/anger**_ _They've gone on high alert, and even sent out the guards that were watching us."_ Looking to the other cages he could see that nobody else had any better idea than he did, though a slightly emaciated man with buffalo horns was looking thoughtful as he stared at the two remaining men. Izuku shifted again to look back towards the front curiously. _"What could be causing them so much concern?"_ With a deep sniff the armored boy tried to scent any information he could gather. The white shapes of everyone in the room around him formed before the sense began to stretch even further into the building. He 'saw' men with guns hurrying around to various rooms, some of them setting up behind pillars and in doorways looking towards the entrance, while off a little further he noticed some of them running towards- 

He shuddered as he smelled the distinct scent of Doctor Mallus, like a hospital disinfectant mixed with blood and fear. Taking another deep sniff he forced himself to ignore the reflexive desire to shrink away, watching as the doctor seemed to order several people to begin packing up... something into various boxes and crates. He watched as one of the henchmen reached down to the floor and pulled up a large something that didnt really register with his scent sight, but he smelled earth and the musty smell of old water. _"Sewers? An escape tunnel!"_ He stiffened as they began ferrying the items down into the underground, but was interrupted in his closed eyes observation but the sudden wail of a loud siren, followed by a voice that shook him even from outside the building.

 **"This is the Heroes and Police! We have reason to believe that the occupants of this abandoned buildings are complicit in kidnapping and abduction. Surrender and come out with your hands up, and you will not be harmed! Resist and we have the authorization to take everyone on the premises in by force!** **"** The deep echoing voice reverberated through the halls and rooms even as Izuku's hand shot up to cover his mouth, tears slipping down across the skin as he recognized that two timbre pitch. Taking a desperate sniff, his mind's eye flew across the building to the very edge of his range, trying to find him, he knew he was here... and sure enough there he was. The scent of the distant ocean mixed with angry predator that immediately set his tailmind to thrashing happily. _"G-... Gang Orca!!"_

Meanwhile the Doctor was considerable less pleased with the arrival of the number ten hero, and even less so with the small army of police officers that accompanied him. Striding through the hallways towards the packing floor, he grumbled as he checked over his sword and tucked a handgun into a holster on his hip. "Of course heroes would butt in. Nobody appreciates progress these days, always wanting a piece for themselves." Throwing wide the double doors leading in he strode to the center of the abandoned work space. Four of his soldiers waited for orders with guns at the ready, while the two at his side moved to join them. "Larry, you're with me. If our little welcome gift isn't enough to stop them, I'd rather you be where I can use you best." The mentioned man nodded mutely and returned to stand beside him. 

Moving over towards one of the large packaging machines he started to skip midway through, a slightly unhinged smile appearing on his face as he chuckled. "It's not entirely bad I suppose. Not only do we get to test it, but Gang Orca is a fantastic specimen. I would love to acquire it if possible..." His musings trail off as he pulls a side panel off of the large rusty monstrosity, revealing the much newer device hidden snugly within. His grin widens as he starts to throw switches and pull levers, the low whine of the fantastic machine powering up slowly filling the room. Reaching down to his belt he pulls the one-way out to speak into it. "Alex, bait the whale in if you can. You have ninety seconds."

_-x-_

With police arrayed on either side of him he delivered the warrant, and the Pro-hero awaited any sign of response. Procedure dictated that they needed to give at least two chances to respond before they could just barge in. Growing slightly impatient, the large cetacean took another step forward as he opened his mouth to repeat the demand to surrender. What he wasn't expecting was the door on the boarded guardhouse to open slowly with a squeak. Immediately he could hear the sounds of the police weapons snapping to aim at the door, while two hands emerged from around it as a rough voice called out in accented Japanese. "Don't shoot! I'm coming out, like you say! Nice and easy, yeah?" 

**"Step into the open and keep your hands where I can see them."** Staring intently at the pair of hands, Sakamata couldn't help but feel suspicious. Like an annoying insect a sound had been grating on his senses, slowly building as the man seemed to drag out stepping out into the open. Beside him he could hear Tsukauchi stepping up beside him, to likely detain or arrest the suspect as necessary. It wasn't until the whining sound became a shriek in his ears that he realized they were in danger. **"Tsukauchi! MOVE!"** The hero reached out and yanked the detective back as he lurched forward, and not a moment too soon.

With a harsh discordant electrical sound, a massive dome of light came crashing down from the sky to slam into the earth behind him, inches from the leg of the falling detective. The sound of shearing metal echoed in his ears as he watch the front corner of a slightly closer police cruiser be cut cleanly off to fall to the ground with a crunch. On the other side Gang Orca could hear muffled shouts of panic and concern, and despite the shimmering interlocking triangular design of the wall he could still see as Slim frantically yelled and pointed behind him- Oh. Throwing himself to the side the sound of bullets being fired was followed swiftly by a pinging impact of the lead against the semi-translucent barrier, leaving not a single scratch. Whipping around the hero saw a man in a tactical vest aiming a shortened rifle at him, face curled into a defiant snarl as he said something in a language that sounded vaguely slavic. 

**"That was the wrong move."** Staring him down he watched as his assailant reached towards a radio on his belt. The moment his steadying hand on the gun moved he did too, launching himself forward and to the side almost faster than the eye could track. Something that many of his foes underestimated was his hard earned speed, and it showed as the man shouted and fired wildly at the charging mutant. The recoil of his rifle caused his aim to quickly sour, and by the time he'd gotten a grip on it again, a massive shock wave of sound assaulted his ears from pointblank range. Reaching out to catch the criminal's upper arm, Gang Orca quickly removed the rifle and its magazine before tossing it to the side and lowering the unconscious man to the ground.

Looking back towards the barrier behind him, he watched for a moment as Slim and a burly officer both tried their hand at attempting to break through it, the poor man seeming to injure his shoulder in the process. Shaking his head the sidekick turned back to his boss, cupping his hands as he shouted through the force field, voice reaching as if through water. "Get going boss! They must have a plan if they're stalling us! Go get them outta there, Vamanos!" Nodding at his words to show he'd heard, the large hero turned to stride towards the guardhouse. Reaching up he tried the radio in his ear, but received only static in response. _"Solo it is then."_ Pausing only long enough to double check the interior of the small hut he stalked towards the abandoned warehouse ahead of him, cloak flaring behind him and hand raised with joints cracking as he narrowed his red eyes dangerously. _"I'm coming for you Midoriya."_

_-x-_

Doctor Gregori Mallus looked at the phone screen with a crazy grin, watching the prime specimen himself as he almost effortlessly took out the unofficial sergeant of his mercenaries. Swapping the view to the lab camera he checked the progress of the evacuation team, finding them to barely be even twenty percent done. Sighing heavily he gives a quirk series of gestures to the five in front of him, the soldiers running off to try and stop the encroaching hero, or at least delay him long enough to allow the lab to be emptied. Turning to the man beside him he held out his hand palm up, two small earpieces being offered to his subordinate. "It's unlikely that the others will be able to stop it on their own, so it will inevitably come down to us. These will help against the beast's sonic attacks, and should help you use your quirk freely." Nodding his second in command took the two earplugs, the gizmos automatically adjusting to fit his ears and ready to block off any noises above a certain decibel. Cracking his knuckles, Larry Dovaken went to go stand behind one of the large husks of the packing machines, a deep humming emerging from his throat as he warmed up his quirk. 

In the cages Izuku listened as the sounds of gunfire briefly raised up before a sharp concussive noise rocked the air. The sound had to be one of the iconic sonic blasts of the number ten hero, and he grit his teeth as tears rushed up into his eyes anew. Guilt and relief fought for dominance in his body, happiness that the hero was hear warring with sadness that he was causing him trouble again. Tail lashing he tried to focus his _**fear/pain/hope**_ thoughts on possibility of escape and how much he never wanted to be here again. His instincts were writhing beneath his skin as the sounds of distant guns started up again, the occasional blast punctuating the cacophony like a line break. _"Gang Orca is here now. It's going to be okay for us, we're gonna be okay, I'm not okay, I don't wanna be saved..."_ The beast in his mind snarled as his rampant emotions and thoughts dragged him deeper and deeper, the mental small form of a green haired child slowly starting to sink into a growing black ooze beneath his body.

Gang Orca growled in annoyance as he stood with his back against the doorway he was covering behind, the crack and whistle of bullets impacting the solid concrete around him a constant background noise. Waiting for the distinctive clicks of empty magazines, the hero lurched out into the open and rushed forward towards the men hiding in their own doorways. Pulling a small capsule the size of a lipstick from a slot on his inner vest, he threw it accurately against the wall behind two of the gunmen. With a hiss the pressurized canister cracked open, spewing a faint green gas across them as they coughed heavily and tried to wave it away only to tumble to the ground unconscious moments later, the potent spores locking up their bodily functions. Ignoring them for now the pro slammed a hand into the chest of the next man standing from behind a table to shoot again, free hand gripping the barrel of the gun as his target let out a pained breath and flew backwards. Spinning to gain momentum he hurled the weapon at where he could hear a fourth emerging, timing it so the metal armament slammed into the side of his face to drop him with a pained shout.

The fifth man abandoned his empty weapon to pull a combat knife, lunging with a battle cry at the large black shape. Turning to catch the point of the blade with his thick cloak the knife man's momentum was killed, and one hand gripped the extended wrist and yanked him into a brutal headbutt. Eyes rolled up into his head as he crumpled like a puppet with his strings cut, and the orca let him fall. Turning to the last conscious criminal he stared threateningly as the man pulled himself up against the wall with a wheeze, shaking his head as he slowly lifted his hands into the air in the universal sign for surrender. Clicking in his chest again Gang Orca kept his sonar primed for any potential threats as he stepped forward to secure him, pulling one pair of his quirk suppressant cuffs from his back to restrain him. While not as powerful as the police versions, the lesser ones would do for short term suppression of criminals. Speaking as he worked, he attempted to gain information from the henchman. 

**"You fight like trained soldiers. Who are you, how many are you, who's your boss?"** The gun for hire just shook his head again, lips tight as he focused on breathing with cracked ribs. Sighing quietly the pro stood up and let him cuffed to a support pillar, not really surprised at his lack of information. In his experience it was a surer bet to wait for stars to fall from the sky than try to get soldiers to give up their fellows, even the money hungry private paramilitaries. Moving past the entrance area he made for two large double doors, occasionally clicking to send out another pulse of sound to give him a clearer picture of his surroundings. Cracking the door as quietly as possible he pinged the inside of it, receiving back the black and white images of old machinery and two figures. One of the large metallic objects was emitting a constant muffled hum as well he filed away in his head as he took a deep breath before pushing his way inside. 

Standing opposite him was a figure he knew from Asui Tsuyu's statement, the brown leather coat and hood standing out even in the dim lighting of the wide packing floor. Beneath the hood he could see wide eyes staring at him, lit from below by a cigarette held in a manic smile that grew when he appeared, and the second figure was currently behind one of the metal hulks. He watched as the apparent leader took a deep drag of the lit tobacco before exhaling a cloud of smoke and speaking in a grating baritone that scraped across his nerves, causing his instincts to flare up. "Well, well, well. Look what we have here. Not only a hero, but the number ten itself. I'm flattered that my little outfit has warranted such highbrow attentions." Reaching up he pulled the hood back off his head to reveal his short cut hair and knife scar across the bridge of his nose. "Tell me beastie, what brings the number ten government pet out here to my workplace? Inspections aren't for another couple of years, you know."

Gritting his sharp teeth the longer the man spoke, Sakamata Kugo glared at the now recognizable visage of a villain. **"I'm here to do my job, rescuing the victims of a crazed kidnapper. But it seems I've found a much bigger fish than I expected. Tell me, what are you up to here in Musutafu... A-Class Villain, Scapltor."** The man's smile widened even further and his eyes were filled with a gleeful expression, teeth gripping the end of his cigarette in an insane grin. The pro-hero tensed as he recalled the information sent out by the Hero commission some months prior. **"You're a long way from your home in the Western European Coalition. What's a disgraced WEC scientist doing kidnapping children in an abandoned warehouse?"** Crouching down ever so slowly, the large mutant clicked again to try and map out the space around him, preparing for a fight.

"Brawn... but with brains to boot. You really are a magnificent creature, aren't you? Most monsters wouldn't even pay attention to the little details, long as they can continue their hunting freely. No, the WEC clearly didn't appreciate my genius. Thus I have struck out on my own, to continue my great work!" Throwing his arms out wide his crazed face was wreathed by the smoke exhaled from his mouth like a heady breath of madness. "And all the little creatures in here are the perfect material to help me create my perfect project! In fact, with such a fine specimen like you, I imagine we'll jump dozens of steps in the process! Hahahahaa!" Letting out a full bellied laugh, the doctor leaned back with hands gesturing wildly around him as if he was surrounded by the wonders of his own mind. As he caught his breath he slowly brought his focus back down to the hero crouched in front of him, smile dropping just a tad before he spoke breathily. "But I don't need a dangerous monster like you alive for the sample. So I'm gonna have to kill you and harvest what I can. Can't keep you like all those pups and bloodbanks, too risky."

With an angry squeak the orca launched himself forward like a black bullet, inhaling and sending a massive blast of sound hurtling towards the murdering villain. With a flash of movement the second man jumps out in front of him, arms spread wide as he inhales before shouting right back at the hero. _**"FUS!"**_ A huge shock wave of force met and displaced the burst of sound, an echoing rumble shaking dust from the ceilings as the attacks canceled out. Barely pausing the subordinate lunges forward, ignoring the steam rolling from his mouth as he panted for breath, lashing out with a fist clenched tight around a set of brass knuckles. Bringing his arm up to divert the blow Sakamata brought his own fist around in a punishing hook, only to barely retract it in time to avoid the singing steel of a sword swing from the encroaching doctor. Jumping back to give himself some room, he watched as the blade wielding villain darted to the side and out of the way of the shouting one, who inhaled and lunged forward.

 _ **"WULD NAH!"**_ Gang Orca let out a gasp of pain, spitting out saliva as the knuckles sank into his gut, the figure practically disappearing in a burst of wind to drive his fist into the hero. Tumbling back he manages to recover quickly, just in time to bring up a piece of rusted metal from the floor beside him and block the swing of the butcher like blade with a ringing screech. The wide grin of the doctor was inches from his face as he thrust him backwards, glancing down at the divot in the beam he was holding before keeping it. Scalptor hopped from foot to foot as he swung his sword a couple times. "You're a tough beast, aren't you? Not bad for an inferior model." He pointed the custom sword at the Orcinus user, electricity dancing across the blade as he tapped the trigger. "Tell me, do ya know what my quirk is? I'm curious what kind of information they released to your country."

Taking the moment to breath and keep an eye on the second man, who was interestedly keeping back and breathing hard again, Sakamata decided to play along. **"The document describing you mentioned it was a weapons quirk, related to blades. I imagine that it gives you skill with knives and swords."** The doctor's ever present smile dimmed as he made a noise like a buzzer.

"Bzzzz, wrong. Closer than some have gotten though, so half credit." He started twirling the sword hilt in his hand, while his companion seemed to catch his breath and stood back in a loose boxing stance behind his leader. "My quirk is called Dissection Vector. Any time I grip a one handed bladed instrument, anything from scissors or a scalpel, all the way up to a sword like my baby here, I can tell exactly the perfect way to cut something. Or someone. Depending on my goals, the cuts change colors to indicate strength needed, the angle to leave the most or least damage, even where and how to cut some creature to keep them alive as I examine their mutated organs." His grin perked back up as he clasped the twirling hilt in a reverse grip and pointed the pommel at the hero opposite. "So anything you see me doing? That's all me. Training and discipline, because my quirk doesn't make the cut for me, just lets me know the peeeerrrrrrfect way to get what I want."

 **"I'll be sure to update your file when I take you In. Thanks for being so informative."** Moving quickly he threw two of the knockout capsules towards the two criminals, following immediately after with the beam in his hand. The voice quirk one leapt back the fore with the same word he'd used the first time, sending the metal containers off into a harmless corner. Unfortunately for him, they'd been the distraction, and a sudden fist across his raise block slid him back a foot as the hero pressed forward. **"Your weakness is the cool down period! You can't use your shouting one after the other!"** The sound of a leap from beside him brought the metal beam up, blocking the thrust with a clang as he whipped his head around to blast a short range paralysis wave straight at the Doctor. To his surprise it merely knocked him back slightly, his free hand coming up to clutch his ear as he hissed in pain. Behind him his sonar picked up the sound of a charge, and Sakamata lurched to the side as the metal fist weapon passed through the space his head had occupied moments before. What followed was a deadly game of tag with the villains and hero trading turns landing a solid hit on one another. The number advantage gave them enough of an edge to keep Gang Orca from overwhelming either one of them, but despite this they couldn't hit him with something that would be strong enough to put him down. 

A green haired teen clutched his head as the room around them shook and rocked with the intense battle. His nose could barely keep up with the rapid motions of the doctor and his hero, the scents swirling together into a chaotic mess that his more human senses had trouble interpreting. In his mind he couldn't escape the sinking feeling of hopelessness. _"Why? Why is he trying so hard?_ His memories ran back across years of his so called friends' fear, their words, the beatings and abuse, all of it coalescing into an ugly ball in his chest, constricting his heart. The alien trees reverberated with the sounds of sobs as his tears slowly melted away the pictures of a black and white hero hugging him reassuringly, buried beneath the rockslide of hatred and fear. Whimpering as his eyes slowly closed, he whispered out to the room so quietly he could barely hear himself. "Please... I'm not worth it. Just let me di-"

~~_**A sound like a chain snap** _ _**ping** _ _**taut** _ ~~

"This isn't working. One of you two, bring me the salamander! Let's see which is stronger, the hero or the monster!" Izuku's head shot up as the doctor's voice crackled across the radios of the two guards near him, all thoughts halting as the words rang in his brain. In the next room over, Gang Orca glared at the grinning maniac while fending off the shouting brawler. "She should be just what we need to make you surrender, beast. After all, a hero wouldn't let a child die, riiight?" A gasp beside him brings the teen's head over, slowly moving as if he was under water to look at the cage next to his. The young girl with a short stubby red tail had tears in her eyes, mouth covered with one hand, and a clanking sound drew his gaze to the guard walking forward and pulling out a key. "What's it going to be, huuuuh hero? You're a filthy monster just like the rest of those inferior beings, so you'll probably just let her die to look good for the press if you make it out alive, right? You're just a monster trying to hide beneath that human skin!!" Izuku's breath was caught in his lungs, a memory ripping through his brain as the world around him seemed to slow.

_A younger Izuku sat in a chair, sniffling and crying as he gripped his hands so tight his claws dug into his palms. The smiling face of a large hero, pulling people from a burning bus lit up the dark room as the familiar clip played. Behind him he heard his mother enter, her voice asking him what was wrong. With another sniff, he turned to look at her with bloody palms, his face still stained with the blood of a wild dog as tears streamed down his face. "Kaa-san... am I monster?" The look on his mother's face was stuck between fear and surprise, as she stuttered out an answer. "I-izuku, what happened baby? Why are y-you bloody??" The boy sniffed louder, one hand raising to point at the screen and the smiling face of a symbol. "Kaa-san. Can... Can I still be a hero? Even if I'm an ugly monster? If I'm not a good enough person to be one?" The heartbreak in his eyes was too much for the single mother, and with a sob she made a choice that would shape the life of her baby boy. "Oh my baby, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" The arms around him were meant to be comforting, a mother's apology that she couldn't protect him from the mean hearts of others... but a boy heard it as agreement. He heard the words that meant his friend was right. Of course he was. Monsters... Monsters couldn't be-_

~~_**The shattering of a mirror, the ear splitting crash of a chain being ripped from it** _ _**s** _ _**mooring** _ ~~

**"YES!! I AM A MONSTER!"** The words of the hero rang out through the still transmitting microphone of the radio, but even still they could be heard through the shaking walls, his sonic enhanced quirk screaming them out with emotion. **"BUT I WILL STILL SAVE EVERYONE! DO YOU KNOW WHY THAT IS?"** A massive crash echoed in the room followed by a shattering sound of metal, the huge shriek of a sonic wave rocking the foundations of the warehouse, but more importantly the foundations of iron chains that Izuku had forgotten he was wearing. **"BECAUSE I CHOSE TO BE BETTER! I AM NOT JUST A MONSTER! NOR JUST A HERO!"** The dripping sound of tears on metal echoed in the confines of his cage, louder even than the crying of the girl as she was torn from hers. Izuku cried as he heard the words... the words he'd waited so long to hear. 

**"I AM BOTH! MONSTERS CAN BE HEROES TOO!"**

_**Hope/Sadness/Relief/Joy**_ His head fell forward as his eyes slowly shut with a sob. Deep in Midoriya Izuku 's psyche, the small scared boy slowly stood up from the pile of filth and fear that had nearly buried him alive. As he stood he grew, his body turning to the body of the teen as he was now, naked as the day he was born. _**Believe**_ With a shuddering sigh, Izuku took a step. Then another. One by one, he moved from the safe hole in the stone wall he had dug, until he stood at the edge of the trees. _**Hunt/Run/Freedom**_ There waiting for him was the shape, the humanoid form of his greatest fear, looking down at him with fiery eyes. With the words of Gang Orca echoing around the cries of a scared young girl, _**No. Fear.**_ Izuku looked up into the eyes of the monster... and reached out his hand. A huge claw tipped one slowly emerged into the moonlight to grasp his, closing around his arm as the deep growl of his quirk vibrated his body. He inhaled slowly as he lowered the walls he'd spent his life building, and closed his eyes...

_**Together.** _

When they opened again, the red eyes of a monster stared out.

The clang of metal halted the steps of the guard gripping the girl's arm, both guards turning to see the green-haired boy's fist against the gate of his cage. Slowly he pulled it back before striking again, another clang ringing out across the silent room, even the sounds of battle ceasing as if in recognition. Again and again the boy's fist hit the metal bar, quickly causing one of the guards to move over and bang the butt of his rifle against the cage angrily. Nobody heard the wet sounds of skin shifting, or the soft crunching of bones rearranging themselves. When the guard went to smack the cage again, the boy looked up and met his eyes, two angry orange-red eyes glaring above a mouth that was slowly losing the flesh of his lips froze him, the teen's pulling back to reveal massive teeth that jutted up and down his jaw.

With an angry shout the boy launched himself forward into the cage door, his feet bracing himself against the back wall while his head and shoulder hit it with a sickening crunch, and the scream of tortured metal. Staggering backwards, the man yelled something in a foreign language, struggling to bring his rifle up as the other guard tried to do the same. Another crunch and the door was knocked clean from its hinges, allowing Izuku to flop down onto the floor with black blood flowing from his head. Shouting at him both guards approached to try and restrain him. It was their last mistake.

Leaping to his feet the transforming boy roared angrily, one growing hand gripping and crushing the gun and arm of the guard who screamed in pain, before he threw him to the side. Bullets flew from the other's gun to slam into the monster's side, drawing a grunt from him before a mighty backhand sent the unfortunate soul flying into an empty cage, knocked out instantly on impact. Roaring out in anger he continued to grow, the six foot frame of the young teen swelling and bubbling upwards with squelching crackling noises. A thick black sludge fell from his body as his skin was covered completely by dark grey and black armored plating, his feet bursting from the old red sneakers into massive clawed feet, and his tail waving behind him as the spines lengthened. An inhuman groan filled the room as his hair slowly receded beneath a thicker skull plate that layered across his changed physiology, his head now free to move in almost any direction. 

With a bone shaking growl the creature slowly stood up in the suddenly smaller room, shaking its head. The other mutants looked on as red eyes blinked in its alien head, while two mandible jaws opened and closed a couple times with a heated breath, the insides of its mouth glowing brightly as it breathed in and out. Standing resplendent at six point three meters tall, Izuku inhaled deeply... and then roared to the heavens. The sound shook the building to pieces, glass shattering at the force behind it while a room over, the three combatants completely stopped their battle to look towards the prisoner hold. Grinning savagely despite his several bloody cuts Gang Orca laughed, the noise startling even the insane doctor as he looked to the hero in surprise. **"That's the other thing, Doctor Mallus. Monsters like us need to stick together."**

The villain had no time to respond as the wall behind them evaporated like paper, a humongous nightmarish form barreling towards the sound of their voices. Throwing himself to the side into a roll Scalptor could barely believe his eyes, as the creature turned to glare at him in the dust filled room. His grin widened as his cigarette fell from his mouth. "Yes, YES! You! YOU'RE PERFECT!" Laughing wildly he brandished his knife and ran towards the monster. Roaring Izuku obliged, closing the distance in two steps before swinging his hand like a wrecking ball. With a grunt the doctor threw himself above it, lashing out to cut a line into the back of the huge appendage only to fail to break through the armored plating. Landing he had no time for anything else as he was forced to roll to avoid a clawed foot attempting to paste him to the floor. Panting he slashed and dodged, cutting and ducking as he barely kept ahead of the amateur movements of the massive beast.

 **" _FUS RO!"_** A shockwave barreled into the side of the creature, a surprised roar leaving him as he staggered and had to catch himself. Looking down he could see a man panting as he tried to move to the aid of the doctor, only to be met by a vicious left hook from an angry whale. **"Focus on your opponent before trying to aid your ally! Team fighting one o' one!"** Snarling at the sudden pain in his hand Izuku quickly bit towards the sensation, operating almost entirely on instinct as his teeth gnashed a foot or less from the head of the ducking villain. Lurching forward on all fours he roared at the man who'd taken pleasure in his pain. Unprepared for the sudden rush Mallus was caught off balance, the back of a massive hand sending him flying across the room like a meteor to slam into the wall with a choked gasp of blood. 

Before he could even fall from the wall, that same hand slammed down onto his chest to pin him there with another cry. Looking up he came face to face with the maw of a demon, heated breath across his face as the hellish eyes glared into his. With a laugh the crazed scientist lifted his sword and jammed it into the soft space between finger and thumb, jamming the trigger to maximum shock. With a roar of pain Izuku clenched his hand tightly, the sudden pressure cracking the bones of the restrained villain into dropping his blade. Laughing weakly as he watched the face of the monster grow closer with jaws spreading wide, he smiled happily. "You're such a beautiful monster. I can't wait to- *COUGH* to dissect you." The last thing he saw was the death of prey looming over him as his eyes rolled up into his head. 

In his mind, Izuku had never felt more _**Free**_ in his life. The exhilaration of muscles aching from under use, the thrill of battle with the man who'd harmed him _**Hate**_ , the satisfaction as he watched the weak little body of the hated one start to crack in his grip. In his gut he could feel the ever present hunger surging as he held the villain to the wall. Leaning forward he spread his jaws wide, teeth ready to tear the head from the creature who dared to try and hunt him- **"Midoriya."** The sound of a voice broke through his instinct driven haze like a knife through butter, his head moving to look down at the _**predator/friend**_ beside him. The large male was watching him closely, the unconscious accomplice of the doctor restrained behind him. Though he said nothing more, the human thoughts slowly bubbled to the surface of his bestial mind. No matter how good it would feel... Heroes didn't kill unless they had to.

Lowering the unconscious form of the villain to the floor, the monstrous teen took a step back and watches as the hero reached down to check his pulse before carefully cuffing him with the suppressor cuffs. Brushing himself off, Sakamata grunted as he ran across one of the cuts on his shoulder with his hand. Looking up to the huge form of the abducted teen beside him, he slowly raised one brow up above the other. **"... I think I'll re-iterate my previous statement. It suits you."** Barking out what sounded like a mix between a snarl and a laugh the large creature shrugged slightly, one enormous hand coming up to rub the back of his skull plate abashedly. Tilting his head, the pro-hero continued. **"I take it by your response that you can't really talk like that. That's fine."** Moving over to stand beside the large hole in the wall, he looking back towards the room full of cages as he started to move into rescue mode.

"Hey boss man! We made it in! That massive dome went down about a minute ago, and we hurried in as fast as we-" The excited voice of the bug man mutant cut off as he skid to a halt on the cluttered floor, jaw hanging slack as he looked up at the 20 foot tall creature sitting and watching him curiously. Behind him were several police officers, also staring intently. ".... That. Is our missing boy I'm guessing. You never mentioned, uh, how big he was boss." Sakamata just laughed as he moved into the next room, swiftly moving over to comfort the girl with the salamander quirk where she was hiding behind some of the cages. Flying into the large room Slim landed in front of one of the cages, whistling as he looked at the advanced security system on each of them. "That's some high priced stuff. These pendejos weren't mucking about. Gonna take a bit of time to open these up though. Maybe we can-" Whatever he was going to say was lost at the scream of tearing metal, and he looked over to see a massive monster bean carefully tearing the top off of the cage holding a horned man. "... That'll work."

_-An hour later-_

The aftermath of the abductor takedown was relatively calm, and that suited Sakamata just fine. With testimony from the victims and confirmation from Izuku, it was learned that some of the hired guns had managed to escape from them via an underground sewer access, taking pretty much every thing from the lab with them. But that was problem for another day, and the first priority had been finding a rather embarrassed teen some pants. Turns out that normal clothes didn't change with him, an issue that might be addressed at a later date. For now the pro was gratefully sitting on the back step of an ambulance, while a medic checked over the various wounds on his body. Beside him wrapped in a convenient shock blanket and wearing a spare set of loose clothes donated by one of the officers, Midoriya was unusually quiet. Or perhaps not, shock was a real thing in a situation like this after all. Just as he thought he should break the silence, the boy spoke with a timid, fragile voice. "What you said in there... did you mean it?"

"Did I mean it... You'll need to be at least a little more specific." He watched as the teen shifted uncomfortably before looking back up to him. He could see in the dying light of the sunset the tears glistening in his eyes, the look on his face caught between hope and fear. 

"You said... You said that... monsters could be..." His voice trailed off as if he were afraid of even the question not just the answer. It was enough, and Sakamata leaned back on the metal of the ambulance beneath them, red eyes gazing up into the sky.

"........ Yes." The word causes the boy beside him to stiffen up, eyes wide as tears slowly crept down his cheeks, so the older mutant continued. "I meant every word I said back there, But I think that I'd like to add something to it." Turning to look down with one eye at the younger man beside him, Gang Orca spoke simply and honestly. "I think Midoriya Izuku... that you can be a great, wonderful hero." The gasp of his breath being caught in his throat was almost lost beneath the gentle sobs coming from him. "And if you really want to be one, I would be honored to help you achieve that goal." 

Properly crying now, Izuku threw one arm across his eyes as he sobbed. In his heart the thorns of his self hate slowly started to burn away. Replacing it was the determination, that shining hope that he'd thought was lost. _"That's... That's all I needed to hear, Kaa-san."_ Crying louder he let out pent up feelings of nearly a decade of repression. When a large arm encircled his shoulder and gently tugged him closer, he just leaned into the understanding embrace of the hero who'd finally reached his monstrous heart. 

There are thousands of strings, little lines of red yarn stretching from countless windows and mirrors, each one showing a different take on a world. In this mirror, a boy who thought he was too much monster to be a hero, started to learn he could be both. This is the story of how he became the greatest mutant hero in history, and changed the face of the world as we know it.

**Chapter 12: Izuku Midoriya: Origin**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOOOO! That was a RIDE! I really desperately hope I did it justice all. :) Your continued love and support is the best thing i could ever ask for. Thanks all for reading this story I'm putting together. That was the first arc of The Monstrous Hero: Goliath! Don't worry, I've got more planned for our Monster bean! So for now, this 3wolves going to bed. I need dat sleep! XD
> 
> P.S. I wasn't really sure about the action scenes, so ANY feedback you guys have will be much appreciated. I really hope you guys continue to enjoy my story!!


	13. Chapter 13: The Starting Line

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With his semi-traumatic experience behind him, Izuku takes the first steps towards his reignited dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ever tell you guys the meaning of Insanity? Because so far I've been posting and expecting to fail, but ya'll are proving I'm insane! :D But yeah, more on the exam and the results of the little voting game in the end notes.  
> Let's drop back in on our boy and find out where he's going from here.

**Chapter 13: The Starting Line**

The reunion of the Midoriyas was filled with tears, Inko rushing out the door to latch on to her son like it was the only thing keeping him from disappearing again. Izuku wasn't much better himself, sinking to his knees as he buried his head against his mother's side as he tried to sooth through misty eyes. Eventually letting go the matron surprised the third party present by lunging at him as well, arms wrapping up the tall muscled form in a surprisingly strong bear hug. After a moment of indecision Gang Orca settled for a gentle and reassuring pat on the back, clearing his throat before speaking. "Missus Midoriya, your son is healthy and unharmed. Medics on scene determined that he sustained no lasting physical damage."

"Thank you, Thank you, thank you!" The green haired mother seemed more intent on squeezing the life out of the pro at the moment, so Sakamata just continued to pat her back. To the side the orca could see the grinning and only slightly tearful face of the younger mutant, and he narrowed his eyes in mock annoyance before motioning towards the door. Understanding quickly Izuku moved to hold it open, allowing the man to guide the woman back inside slowly and move to seat her at the table. 

It takes her about two or three minutes before she pulls herself together enough to pull away from him, and another four to stop apologizing profusely for crying on his costume (It didn't bother him, since the Suit was mostly waterproof). During this time Izuku had moved to the kitchen nearby and begun putting together three cups of tea, the routine a soothing balm of normalcy for him. When he returned to set the steaming cups in front of them, Gang Orca cleared his throat before picking his cup up and speaking. "Now that we've got you home, and your statement is safely with the police, you're free to return to your normal life. Both as part of procedure, and as a personal interest, I need to ask if either of you feel like you're still in danger, and if you would like protection in the form of either police or hero presence?"

While his mother looked unsure and had even opened her mouth to respond, it was Izuku who spoke first with a shaking head. "That shouldn't be necessary. I don't think it's going to be a problem." _**Strength/Confident**_ When both of the adults turned to look at him he was quick to bring his large hands up to motion reassuringly. "The Doctor was taken into custody. They shouldn't have any reason to come after me with him gone. We don't need to be tying up any more resources that could be going towards helping others." Narrowing his eyes a bit the larger hero examined him, searching for something before nodding and reaching into his pocket.

"If that's your decision, I can accept it. Scalptor is indeed safely taken into custody, and we have full confidence that his associates will be caught sooner rather than later." Pulling something out he held out his closed hand to the teen, placing it into his palm when he reaches out. Izuku looked down at his phone, the All Might case reflecting the light as he flipped it open. One corner of the screen showed a faint crack, and his battery was low enough that he'd probably blow a fuse on a normal day, but sure enough it was back to him. "You dropped this when you were taken. A very concerned young woman was very insistent you get it back." 

"Asui-San?" The greenette's head shot up as he looked towards the hero with surprise. _**Frog/Lily/Friend!**_ Unbeknownst to him his tail had begun a slow wagging motion behind him in his chair, both adults noticing and fighting back the smiles on their faces. "Is she okay? The last think I remember was her face when it went black. They didn't hurt her, did they??" His tail now lashing he moved to stand up, Gang Orca hurrying to assuage him with raised hands.

"Easy now, she's fine. Worst thing she got was a scraped knee from trying to help you. She really did try her best to catch up to the van, but it got away from her." Slumping back in relief the monster boy let out a huff as he relaxed. With an amused chuckle Sakamata took a sip of the tea in his hand, noticing that it was actually quite good. "I spoke to her and ensured she got home safe. She wanted me to give that back to you, along with the instructions to call her once you were... 'Free.'" Taking another sip of his warm drink, the sea mammal male ignored the deadpan stares of the two sitting across from him.

". . . . . Well thank you for returning it to him. We don't have a lot of wiggle room when it comes to paying the bills, so it's a great relief." The pro waved off the thanks as he finished his tea, setting the cup back onto the table with a soft clink. He turned back to them as he thought for a moment before speaking again. 

"Midoriya." The hero sweatdropped slightly as both of them responded before looking at each other and laughing quietly. "Right, Izuku then." The boy perked up. "That question you had for me, at the ambulance... Am I right to guess that you might be interested in becoming a hero?" The waving of his tail stopped cold, and Izuku's smile turned first strained... but then thoughtful. Even without his enhanced instincts, Sakamata would have been able to tell the conflict running behind his eyes. As is he could feel a constant shift in pressure around him, as if his quirk couldn't decide if he was in danger or not.

On his end Izuku's mind was currently mulling over the question, the dream he'd had as a boy that he'd thought was gone. _"Do I still want to be a hero?"_ Tail undulating back and forth he thought about it all. He thought about the pain heaped on his head from something he couldn't control, the slurs and hatred of his peers and people who couldn't see past his differences. He thought about Kacchan- _**Denial/Pride/Strength**_ _"... Bakugo."_ He thought about everything his so called best friend had put him through. After all that, did he really still want to be a hero?

Midoriya Inko looked at her son as he bowed his head, his green curls shining in the light as he hand clenched tight enough to make the tendons creak. She heard the same question that a small boy had asked her in tears years ago, and a single drop of her own escaped her eye to course down her cheek. Reaching out slowly she gently wrapped her hand around his, the clawed fingers twitching open to allow her to hold it. Meeting his eyes the green haired mother smiled as confidently as she could, whispering out just loud enough for him to hear. "Whatever you want to do, honey. I support you." It might not make up for what she said, but she would try her best to give him all the support and love that he needed.

Smiling happily as he fought back another round of Midoriya tears, Izuku inhaled deeply before turning to face the number ten hero. Gang Orca had waited patiently, hands folded on the table in front of him as his red eyes watched the two unblinkingly. Exhaling as he lifted up his slightly ungainly hand, a slight cracking sound accompanied lengthening claws and darkened hide as the teen posed much like a familiar hero. " My answer... is yes, Gang Orca. I want to be a hero. More than anything!" Clenching his hand tight the crunch of his knuckles popping mixed with the clatter of his talons. "I want to save people! I want to show the world that even if I am a monster, I'll still save them with everything I've got!"

The black and white mutant's mouth split into a wild grin of approval, his eyes crinkling as he laughed. **"Spoken like a true hero."** Reaching into his suit jacket he pulled a thick card from a pocket on his inner vest, before sliding it across the table to rest in front of the boy. Taking it Izuku saw the name and insignia of the Orca Hero agency in bold black and white, while one side had a magnetic strip like a keycard. "Midoriya Izuku, I'd like to offer you an opportunity to train at my agency. With your mother's permission, you would effectively become my apprentice for the next ten months. This would give me time to hammer the essentials into your head before the U.A. entrance exams." With mouth open wide the boy stared at the hero, mind pulling a blank as he struggled to compute the offer. Laughing again Sakamata slid a piece of paper over as well.

"Here's the address to my agency. Take a day to recover completely, and then you and your mother can come visit this Saturday to learn more. You can make your decision then." Standing up from the table he moved towards the door and his shoes, the Midoriyas scrambling to follow him. "For now, I'll leave the two of you to rest and relax. I'm certain you could use the decompression." Opening the door after returning to his feet he paused and looked back at the boy he'd saved that day. "I need to return to my agency now and fill out the paperwork for today's mission. Thank you for your hospitality, and for the tea. I'll see you Saturday." With that, and the farewells of Inko and Izuku echoing behind him, he stepped out onto the landing and began to walk towards the stairs.

"Gang Orca-san!" Pausing at the shout behind him, Sakamata turned to look- only to grunt in surprise at the impact of the armored teen's body wrapping him in a massive hug. "Th-thank you. For saving me. For everything." He could hear the tears in the boy's voice, as his own arms came down to wrap around his back. Clicking softly in his chest he held on to the boy that inspired him to try harder, reach much further than he'd bothered to before. He hugged him back tightly, and raised an eyebrow at the sight of his mother peeking out the open door before smiling and pulling back. After a minute or two Izuku pulled back and brought his hand up to scratch the back of his head. "S-sorry for that. Just wanted to say it. Good night!" He bowed quickly before darting back towards his apartment and disappearing with the click of a closing door. Shaking his head with another smile the pro turned to make his way back down to the street, taking a moment to enjoy the little things and rap loudly on the driver side window, waking the snoozing sidekick who squawked in surprise as he elbowed the horn. 

_-x-_

Laying down in his own bed was a special kind of heaven Izuku decided. Having taken a shower and rinsed the sweaty grime of battle from his skin, he felt more refreshed and relaxed than he had in years. Rippling across his back his skin settled into a more comfortable position, while his tail curled contentedly across his legs. Reaching out to his nightstand he grabbed his phone and navigated through the menus to look for the contact of his newest friend, the name on the glowing screen looking back at his smiling face. _"I'm glad Tsuyu-san wasn't hurt when they took me. I should really thank her for trying to help me like she did."_

Tapping his fingers across the buttons he typed out his message to the frog girl, and he couldn't help but smile wider as he thought back on his conversation with her, plus the offer from the hero that was quickly taking the number one hero spot in his mind. So distracted by his wanderings he never noticed the fading numbers in the corner of his screen... until with a happy jingle his phone flashed an empty battery at him before fading to darkness. Blinking a couple times Izuku stared at the dead device for a full minute. . . before one large clawed hand smacks onto his face with a resounding slap.

"Oh COME on!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well hello there my ducklings! Guess who's back, but also slightly dead on the inside as I wait impatiently for the results of my exam? C: It's ME! Yeah, so I don't get the result until Thursday, or more likely Friday. Welp, guess I'll just stew in my stress a little longer but at least it's done with. Anyways, enough of my own life, ya'll are here for the story.
> 
> So yeah, we're back at it again. Shorter chapter I know, but I'm trying to pace it out right ya know? Next time we'll get to hear from worried frog girl! 
> 
> For the OFA discussion/votes/suggestions, thank you all!! Those of you who posted it on chapter 12 like i asked they'll still be there, but for those who posted it on the delay announcement don't worry! I still saved them so I can refer to them as I make my decision. As for what that decision is.... Not telling! ^_^ Wouldn't want to spoil my own story now would I? I promise to try my best to make it worth the wait, so patience my ducklings, patience. 
> 
> I'll see you all next time, this saturday. Thank you all for hanging in there for the bumps!


	14. Chapter 14: Taken 2, Froggy Boogaloo Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku contacts his worried friend, and by the end of the day he's very taken. (No, really this time.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm back in black, and here with another chapter! Fluff! Froggy fluff!! For real this time!!! I swear :)  
> Sunday morning Edit:Holy fuck. I swear to the gods I posted this before I went to sleep at 5 Saturday morning. Turns out, I saved as draft and then went to happy la-la land. That's on me. X-X Fuck i feel stupid.

**Chapter 14: Taken 2, Froggy Boogaloo Part 1**

Eventually Izuku had managed to scrounge together his charger and plug his phone in for some much needed energy boosting, but looking at the time laughing at him from the face of the clock he decided to hold off on messaging Tsuyu until the morrow. Curling up on his bed beneath his blanket the monster teen looked around the familiar room, the walls and shelves covered with the merchandise of heroes and idols leaving him smiling as his eyes fell closed. Inside his mind a greenette curled up on a bed of moss while a large form slept beside and around him, those alien trees reaching towards unfamiliar stars. Sleep came easily that night, and his dreams were silent.

When the Midoriya household woke up the next morning it was with a fully refreshed Izuku bouncing into the kitchen, making Inko laugh at the energetic teen plopping down into a chair at the table. Moving back and forth between the table and stove the mother quickly transported two omelettes, a stack of toast, six sausage patties, and a pitcher of orange juice to the table in front of her boy before returning for her own food. With a happy, "Ittadakimasu!" The teenager dove straight into the huge pile of delicious foods, joined shortly after by his mother across from him. Soon after his quirk had appeared at the age of four they had quickly discovered that his appetite was ridiculously huge, his body requiring roughly two or three times the amount of food to fuel his explosive growth. American style breakfasts became his favorite in a hurry, the huge quantity of filling food satisfying him better than the usual Japanese fare.

Sitting in the comfortable silence of their breakfast together at the familiar table, the boy sighed happily through a double stack of sausage and toast with his tail waving happily behind _**safe/hunger/Home**_. Reaching over to snag his phone from where it rested beside his plate Izuku began to offhandedly finish the message he'd begun the night before, detailing a brief summary of his rescue, his return home, and Gang Orca relaying her request, along with a reassurance that he was okay. Sending it off after a suspicious squint at his battery level, he set the device down beside his plate and returned to his impromptu breakfast sandwich. _"I'm sure she's probably on her way to school by now. She'll answer whenever can, or feels li-"_

The rattle of a buzzing phone against his plate derailed his thoughts spectacularly, causing him to yelp and nearly drop the smooshed together bread, eggs, and sausage. Saving his food he quickly scooped up the madly vibrating technological jump scare, flipping it open to find an incoming call. Tsuyu's name flashing across the screen sent him choking as he struggled to swallow the sustenance while his mother fluttered around him worriedly, patting his back in an attempt to ease his breathing. When he'd finally managed to convince her he wasn't in immediate risk of asphyxiation by breakfast foods, his thumb had already moved to hit the answering button as he cleared his throat nervously. "H-hello? Asui-san?"

The sound of a croak across the phone reached his ears, followed by her deadpan voice. "Didn't I tell you to call me Tsu-chan, Kero?" The plain delivery of the line struck him before he snorted and chuckled, his hand unconsciously coming up to scratch the back of his neck.

"Sorry about t-that, T-t-tsu-chan. Guess I've had a couple other things on my mind." He said it in an attempt to tease, his face falling into an easy smile as his tail wagged behind him with breakfast forgotten beside him. _**Happy/Lily/Friend!**_ His mother looked at her boy as he spoke to this supposed Asui, and got a devious motherly smile as she went over to start cleaning up her place setting. Meanwhile on the phone, Izuku noticed the silence from other girl as his joking seemed to fall flat. "Hello? Tsu-chan?"

"....kero." A soft croak from his friend was all he got, sounding suspiciously like a sob before she continued. "I'm sorry..." The boy's tail stalled dead in the air as he sat up quickly, hunching over the phone as he spoke seriously.

"Sorry? _**Worry/Anxiety/Threat**_ Why are you sorry, Tsu-chan? You haven't done anything to be sorry for." His voice was steady as he tried to figure out what was bothering her so.

"For- For not saving you." Now he was certain that he heard tears in her voice, _**Frog Cries!/Bad/Help/Safe!**_ the emotions bleeding through her normal facade of even keel. "I couldn't, _kero_ , I couldn't do anything when they took you." His sudden change in demeanor didn't escape the notice of his mother who was now watching still beside the fridge, frowning slightly.

"Tsu-chan, I need you to listen to me." Izuku took a deep breath as he focused everything he had into trying not to let his nervousness or stutter through. "You did everything you could. _**Serious/Heartfelt**_ In fact, you went beyond what anyone would have expected you to do. You didn't need to go after them or try to Intervene at all, It would have been safer for you if you hadn't." As he was speaking Izuku had stood from the chair at the table and moved towards the couch, leaving his half eaten breakfast behind him. Inko looked on with silent interest and concern as she pulls a sheet of plastic wrap from beside the fridge to wrap his food for later while he's on the phone.

Settling onto the couch with his anxiously twitching tail beside him, the armored boy continues to speak calmly and urgently to the worried frog girl. "Tsu-chan, did you know? You _did_ help me." When her silent sobs catch, a questioning croak breaking through, he pushes the hint of an advantage to make his point with clawed fingers clutching his phone case tightly. "I heard from Gang Orca, that he interviewed you. You told him the license plate details of the van that took me, didn't you?"

"Y-...Yeah, Kero. I did." Tsuyu spoke hesitantly with a hint of confusion, but at least she wasn't outright crying now which Izuku would take as a victory. He nodded to himself before continuing.

"Tsu-chan, Gang Orca told me that the only reason they found me when they did is because of the license plate showing up on one of the traffic cameras. If they hadn't known what to look for..." The teen shuddered as his mind flashed back to the sensation of the cage bars against his shoulder, the scent of faint blood and ozone in the crackling air. ". . . I don't know how long I would have been there before they found me. I don't know if they would have." There was several beats of silence, and the slight growing anxiety in his chest was beaten back by an instinct driven hunch as he gave her a moment to process the idea before saying so softly it was barely picked up by the phone against his cheek. "Thank you for getting me out of there, Tsuyu."

A gasp was followed closely by several choked croaks of laughter from the girl, the sound surprisingly cute as his tail started wagging without any conscious thought from the now smiling greenette. When she managed to get herself somewhat under control she spoke with an audible sound of smiling in her usually monotone voice. "Kero, It's almost unfair that you know how to make me feel better so easily." He could hear as she moved on the other side, the shifting of fabric against... something? _"Where is she that it makes noises like **hide on bark**_ _oh..."_ Before he could follow up on the thought she was speaking again. "Sorry for being a downer, Izuku-chan. Kero."

"N-no, you're fine! I know a thing or t-two about blaming myself, so I know what it's like." Izuku couldn't help but both mentally and physically face palm as he casually dropped a reference to his insecurities, growling slightly before getting a hold of himself. "But before I forget! Aren't you in school right now? How are you talking to me if you should be in class?" Glancing over at the clock on the wall Izuku could clearly see that it was a little past ten in the morning, well into what should have been class time. The sound of a couple embarrassed croaks on the other side of the line drove his eyebrow up slightly.

"Kero Kero... I didn't go. I haven't since you were taken." The monster boy blinked as she admitted such, tail tip the only thing in motion as it flicked back and forth. "I felt really bad about not being able to stop them. Even though I want to be a Hero, Kero. My mother and the school understood, gave me until Monday to, 'Get my head on straight' they said." Izuku chuckled at that, his tail waving again as he glanced back at the clock before looking towards his mother. Seeing him look over the woman gave him a thumbs up and a smile, having an inkling of what might be going through his head. 

Smiling the boy turned to move back into his room as he was talking, swallowing heavily as he tried to channel the unbridled confidence his quirk was so eager to impart to him. "Well, Since neither of us will be in school today... would you like to meet up with me? I can come to the park in about thirty minutes." He slipped into the room to start collecting an outfit to go out, grabbing his favorite All Might hoodie and tossing it over his shoulder. Meanwhile, Tsuyu had made a noise of surprise when he mentioned where they would meet.

"I'm surprised you asked first, and My answer is sure but... How did you know I was at the park, Kero?" The boy stopped and blinked as he thought over the question himself, drawing a blank before winding up chuckling while scratching his head.

"...Would you believe a lucky guess, and a weird quirk hunch?" He couldn't help his wide smile though at her answer, the easy way she'd said it as if it were never in doubt doing wonders for his self esteem. "I don't really have a better answer than that." _**Tree/Safety/Nest**_ "... Somehow my quirk recognized you were in a tree, and made the leap to being at my park? Err, I mean _the_ park." He chuckled nervously at that last slip up, though the girl didn't really seem bothered by it. He could practically hear her tilting her head with one finger pressed against the corner of her wide mouth as she considered it.

".... Kero. Your quirk is weird. But that makes you, you." Another shuffle of her clothes on tree bark before he hears a croaking grunt of exertion from her side, followed by the rattling of a tree branch. "I'll be waiting for you near where you saved me, Kero Kero. Don't take too long, or I'm coming looking for you." He chuckled at her joke (or at least he thought it was a joke), and slipped the fabric of his hoodie over his shoulders before grabbing his wallet from his desk. Which had... somehow survived the entire kidnapping incident, A fact that had Izuku becoming a lifelong supporter of the brand. They technically advertised for a 'Mutation proof wallet, built for life!' and they were certainly living up to it.

"I'll see you soon then, Tsu-chan. Just gonna grab the rest of my breakfast really quick and eat it on the way." With her affirmative to the plan echoing in his ears they ended the call. Trotting back out into the main room he found that his mother was well ahead of him, already having the food wrapped into a neat little package on the table as she waited for him with a smile. Leaning down to kiss her on the cheek the boy happily grabbed the food before moving towards the front step. "I'm going to go hang out with Asui-san. I'll be safe Kaa-san, and I'll text you every hour or so."

"Alright dear, make sure you do stay safe." Inko watches as her boy moves to sit on the front step while pulling on a newer pair of his large red sneakers, the last ones having been lost when he burst out of both them _and_ a cage. As he stood up with tail wagging, the matron's smile turned mischievous. "Also don't forget protection honey! I don't want grandbabies yet after all!" 

"Don't worry, I wont Kaa-san!" Izuku's mind was already thirty minutes away in a park, and his responses showed as much as he waved to his mom before closing the door behind him. Inko giggled and grinned as she held up a hand with five fingers out, then started counting downwards. When her thumb hit her palm the sound of a loud thumping noise echoed through the little apartment, accompanied by her wild giggles as her son undoubtedly rammed his admittedly hard head into the wall of the building while his indignant voice echoing through the closed door, escalating her giggled to full-on cackles.

_"KAAAAAAAA-SAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got the chapter out! Only a day late without a heads up too! >_< To think I was wondering why my story was so quiet. I suppose it helps to post the darn thing rather than worry if nobody liked my newest chapter. ^_^;  
> But beating my self up aside, I hope you guys/gals/monster-hunting-robots liked it! With the COVID-19 stuff happening, the news on whether i passed the class or not has been unsurprisingly delayed. So that's more stress for me, but I'll live. :) Comments always welcome! See you next time, Ducklings!


	15. Chapter 15: Taken 2, Froggy Boogaloo Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hanging out with a friend leads to excited questions. Suffice it to say, Tsuyu approves. Meanwhile, Mamadoriya has some questions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the second half of fluff for you guys! :D

**Chapter 15: Taken 2, Froggy Boogaloo Part 2**

The sounds of a city in the late morning rolled on in the distance, while in the park it was mostly quiet except for the sounds of the wildlife going about their day without a care. Tsuyu liked it that way, the natural quiet allowed her a rare moment of freedom from the creeping sense of failure that had haunted her for the last two days. _"Had being the operative word, Kero."_ She couldn't help but think to herself with an internal smile. Adjusting her position on the branch she looked around the park in another slow scan, looking for her friend she'd hung up with about 20 minutes ago. 

True to her word Tsuyu hadn't been going to school, the feelings bulging nastily in her chest sending her into a depressive spiral so apparent even her normally oblivious younger siblings had gone out of their way to ask if she was alright. But all that had come to a head, then broke like a stick beneath the words of Midoriya Izuku. Her disappointment and shame at her inability to help the person right in front of her seemed so heavy before, but with a few well placed words the boy had lifted that burden. The sincerity ringing behind every word certainly helped, and the tone of his voice when he'd unconsciously said her name devoid of any honorifics left a warm buzzing sensation in her chest, which she promised herself to examine later. For now she sat on a branch with her back against the tree while waiting for Izuku to show up, humming softly to herself in the strange sense of comfort being here gave her.

At the edge of the park the aforementioned boy was just arriving, having made excellent time in both his excitement and acute mother induced embarrassment. As the asphalt gave way to the smoothed gravel paths of his favorite place of relaxation, so too did his frantic mind transition to a calmer anticipation. With a wagging tail behind him the monster teen strolled towards the place he'd first met Tsuyu, taking a soft sniff to get an idea of who all was present at the park. To his surprise even a light inhale was enough to paint his mental surroundings in greater detail than he'd ever smelt before. He could tell that there was a family of three sitting at a picnic table, a man resting on a bench across the park, Tsuyu in his tree, and a gaggle of ducks patrolling the surface of the pond. 

_"Why is it always ducks?"_ The boy mused to himself as he walked swiftly towards his place of solitude, though judging by its current occupant maybe not just his anymore. Moving to stand beneath the comfortable branch he looked up to see the girl in question sitting with her back to the trunk, seemingly lost in thought as she stared towards the water. _**Surprise/Tease/Play**_ With a mischievous grin to rival his mother's, Izuku's legs bunched beneath him as his tail started flicking back and forth... before leaping powerfully upwards. His sharp claws elongated as he dug them into the bark beside her branch with a loud crunch, before scrabbling himself up onto the branch just above and to the side of hers to flop down with a grin.

Tsuyu had been thinking about the upcoming exams that she was planning on taking after middle school, along with thoughts on what she should pick up to cook dinner for her siblings and herself. When the sound of snapping bark beside her invaded her thoughts, She reacted in a most understandable manner. With a high-pitched shriek the amphibious quirked girl leaped upwards into the tree like a bat out of hell, her long fingers sticking to the rough bark of the tree as her heart pounded in what felt like her throat. Perched against the trunk she heard the sound of a muffled snerking from below her and as her head whipped around to look at him, Izuku burst into laughter full bodied laughter. Rolling back and forth on the branch the armored teen promptly fell off to land back first on the ground about eight feet below with a thump, continuing to laugh unhindered. 

Her cheeks puffing with annoyed croaking Tsuyu crawled down onto the branch she'd been resting on and smoothed her skirt back down, glad for the fact she'd taken to wearing shorts under them. Doubly so for the apparent obliviousness of the boy below in not noticing that they'd ridden up rather unfortunately during her stint upside down. Crouched above him she waited for his laughter to abate, reluctantly smiling as the surprisingly adorable sounds became infectious. After he'd been reduced to poorly restrained giggles, she spoke up in a droll tone of voice. "Kero. I'm glad you're having fun. Hope that fall didn't hurt as much as my pride." 

"N-no, I'm fine. More importantly, are you okay Asui-" Seeing the look on her face he quickly back tracked with a slight coughing sound and the barest hint of a stutter. "T-Tsu-chan? I didn't think you'd startle that hard, and I didn't want to hurt you, and I'msorryifI _wenttoofarIjustwantedtotryandliftyourspiritsafter_ -" His confident speech quickly melded together into an almost unintelligible muttering, his hand coming up to scratch the back of his head while his tail flicked frantically from side to side. Tilting her head Tsuyu watched as he went on with his worries, catching maybe every fourth word or so. _"I'm... not sure he's taken a breath since he started, Kero."_ Shaking her head the froggy greenette shot her tongue out to gently smack the top of his head, cutting of his word storm with a yelp of surprise.

"You're fine. No harm done, and it was pretty funny, Kero. Just know that I'll be getting you back for this. Maybe not today, Kero Kero, but someday." She could speak quite well with her tongue out, Izuku idly noted as he rubbed the top of his head and nodded mutely. When the pink muscle slid down to wrap around his midsection he couldn't help but watch in fascination as he was bodily lifted from the ground. With a grunt of exertion and the groan of the tree branch beneath her, Tsuyu lifted him up and deposited him back onto his recently left perch. Staring avidly as her tongue then retracted back into her mouth, the possible uses of her quirk racing through his head like a runaway bullet train. (It should be noted, that not once were any of them anything less than pure, bless him.) "You're heavier than you look, Kero."

"Oh my gods, that is amazing! Is it completely prehensile? How strong _is_ your tongue?" _**Excite/Lily/Happy**_ His tail wagged back and forth frantically as he adjusted his position on the branch until his back was against the trunk again. "You said it was a frog quirk, but how far does it extend? Can you see in the dark like most frogs, or even _see_ temperatures? Can you secrete poison from your skin like a tree frog? How about camouflage yourself?" Shooting out rapid fire questions with an intense burning interest, he was interrupted by his friend laughing. He couldn't help but stop speaking to listen to the adorable sound of her ribbitting chortles, her eyes closing as her lips curled up into the biggest smile he'd seen from her yet.

"Kero Kero Kero, You're very strange Izuku-chan. First cheering me up, then worrying about me right after you fell from a tree. Now you're more interested in my quirk that anyone I've met before including me, Kero!" Turning towards him Asui curled onto her side on her branch, looking surprisingly comfortable on the relatively thin perch. "How about we make a deal, Kero? We'll play a question game. You ask a question, I'll answer it, then do the same to you. We go until we can't think of anything else to ask, and if we don't want to answer we can pass. Then the asker can ask a new one, is that Fair Kero Kero?" Internally she was elated by the genuine emotion she could see behind the expression of her companion, and the fact he wanted to know about what she considered a very average quirk only added even more points in her steadily growing book. She croaked in amusement as he pulled a notebook and pencil from gods know where with an eager puppy like expression, his tail wagging even more frantically behind him, She settled down for a long talk with one of the few people who seemed to bring out this happy side of her, the shadows of her doubts fading away like fog in morning sun.

_-x-_

Humming to herself as she moved about the cozy apartment, Inko was happier than she could remember being in recent times. Her boy was home safe from his terrible ordeal, and though she'd cried with him when he'd admitted some of what had happened to her, for the first time in a long time she could see it again. In his eyes was a light that had steadily grown dimmer over the years, rekindled and brighter than ever as he smiled without restraint. She wasn't as oblivious as he thought... she knew that her baby was bullied for his quirk, though nothing she had tried to do had encouraged him to open up to her about it, no amount of subtle hints about her being willing to listen had drawn it out. _"Not that I blame him. I haven't exactly been the most supportive mother."_ She sighed heavily as she folded the laundry into neat little piles with the help of her quirk.

Truth was; Inko was scared. Scared that if she encouraged his dreams, her son would only get hurt by the world. Scared that no matter what she did, it wouldn't be enough to keep him safe. Scared... that she was the reason his dreams had shattered like stained glass. It was that fear that had driven her to apologize to him that day, when she found a hurt young boy crying in front of a computer. She had apologized and cried with him, ashamed that she had somehow failed him, and in doing so had only made it worse. Sighing again she wandered into his room with a stack of clothes to set on his bed for him to sort when he returned. Looking around at the various heroic merchandise littering the room she couldn't help but thank whoever was listening that her boy hadn't become even more disenchanted with the quirkist world they lived in. 

Turning to leave the sunlight glinted off of an object set precariously on the corner of his crowded desk, and she turned to find the card given to Izuku by Gang Orca. Picking it up she watched as the light played across the emblem again, noting the phone number neatly printed across the bottom. Humming thoughtfully to herself the mother walked slowly out into the living room and picked her phone up from the table as she passing. _"It couldn't hurt to get a couple more details. After all, if my son will be spending a lot of time with this man..."_ Mind made up Inko punched the number into her phone as she sat down onto the cushions, examining the card closely as the ringing in her ear began.

Sitting at his desk, Sakamata had just finished a phone call with a rather irate sidekick from the Endeavor agency. Pinching his brow in annoyance at the petty squabbles some heroes seemed determined to cause, the large whale man sighed loudly as his desk phone started ringing again. Picking it up he growled into it irritably, letting a rare flash of emotion through his usually impeccable calm. "Orca Agency. If this is about Riposte again, I've neither time nor patience to give you the same answer again!" From the other side of the line he heard a surprised squeak, and the sound of a phone being dropped onto something. Furrowing his brow he waited until whoever it was scrambled to retrieve their device before questioning. "Hello? I take it this isn't another sidekick calling me."

"A-ah, no. This is Midoriya Inko speaking. I was calling about the offer you made my son." With an audible face palm, the hero internally groaned. _"Great. First impression I had was informing her that her son was kidnapped, and now I'm yelling through the phone at her._ " Clearing his throat he attempted to speak far more levelly.

"Ahem, I apologize for that Misses Midoriya. I had just gotten through a rather stressful conversation about one of my sidekicks. It was inappropriate of me to treat you like-" His words were cut off by what sounded like a laugh of relief from the woman. Leaning back into his chair he couldn't help but raise his brow at the sound before she managed to get a hold of herself. Clearing her throat she responded with a much more relaxed tone.

"Sorry, you sounded just like one of my partners. They're always complaining about the trouble that our interns get us into, and who they have to suck up to in attempts to write it off." Smiling slightly as her nervousness dissipated, Inko shifted on the couch comfortably. Unlike she'd feared, Gang Orca seemed more like an overworked and underappreciated boss than the scary image she'd created of him as a hero. "Being a lawyer isn't all it's cracked up to be. I can only imagine being a hero might be worse, with some of your interns being able to level a building." 

Snorting, Gang Orca couldn't help but agree. "You're right of course. The paperwork involved is atrocious." Relaxing back into his chair Sakamata idly picked up another report that was due later. "But I'm sure we could both go on for hours at length about the red tape of our jobs. So tell me, Misses Midoriya, how can I help you today? You said you had questions?" 

"Well first of all, let me correct you on something, It's only Miss Midoriya now. No Misses here for many years now." Her voice was cheery, but he could hear the faint undercurrent of old pain buried long ago. 

"I'm sorry, I wasn't aware." He spoke softly and sincerely as he apologized to her, red eyes flicking to a small picture frame set on his desk. Nestled behind the glass was a picture, four high school students gathered around a bench near an ice cream parlor, the black and white form of the tallest standing and smiling awkwardly from the back beside a girl with brilliant green eyes leaning on his arm. The old feelings flowed sluggishly beneath their grave before his gaze returned to the window. _"Dont. It's in the past."_

"No need to apologize, Gang Orca-san. Hisashi and I split up... not long after Izuku got his quirk. It was for the best for both parties I think, and though Izuku misses him I think he understands." Definitely pain there, but she seemed to quickly wave it off with long practice. "My questions are actually simple. Izuku seems to really look up to you, both as a Hero and a role model. Of course you can understand that I'm a little bit worried for him, so I just wanted to ask you... What do you want from my boy, Gang Orca?" Miles apart and across a phone, Sakamata couldn't help but shiver at the cheerful but cold tone this woman had suddenly adopted. Despite her relatively harmless appearance in person, the man was once again reminded that there were few things more terrifying than a protective mother. With that thought in mind, he chose his next words very carefully.

"Miss Midoriya... What I want from Midoriya Izuku is also simple. I want to help him. I want him to not be afraid of himself anymore." The sound of a gasp from the other side did little to assuage him that he was in the clear yet, so he continued without pausing. "I want to help him see that no matter what his quirk is, he shouldn't have to feel bad for existing. I want to help him become a hero, if that's what he wants..." The mutant stops as he realizes something in his impassioned speech, the next words leaving him almost in a whisper. "... I want him to not have to go through what I did on the way, If I can in any way prevent it. Your son has the potential to be a hero for so many reasons, and I want to give him every chance to achieve that dream. That's what I want from your son."

Silence greeted him on the line while in an apartment in Musutafu, a green-haired single mother sat with tears streaming down her face. The words of the professional hero rang true to her, her sense of telling if somebody is lying quite honed from both her law degree and years spent as a mother. With a smile breaking though the waterfall of tears, she sobbed a bit before clearing her throat again. "I... I think that would be just fine, Gang Orca-san." The knowledge that someone genuinely wanted her son to succeed made her feel more hopeful than ever, and if this could bring even half the happiness she was feeling to her boy she'd support it with all her heart.

"....Call me Kugo-san, if you'll allow me the same for you. I think we might be seeing more of each other in the foreseeable future." Standing up from his chair the hero moved over to pick up a small binder from where it rested on a bookshelf before returning to his specially made chair with a split back and opening it in front of him. Grabbing a pen and one of the forms from it, he settled the phone into one hand as he began to write. "First things first, lets get a couple of things sorted to make this all easier..."

"What size are Izuku's shirts?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's the fluff. ^_^ Next time.... DORCA TRAINING BEGINS!  
> So on an Announcement note, I'm gonna move my posting times to SOMETIME on Saturdays and Wednesdays. Some recent schedule changes have made it so that it's less effective for me to be up late writing fanfics to make the noon deadline, so instead I'm just promising to have them out on those days. :P Or try my best to. I hope it doesn't mess with anybody's reading schedule! (Wait, how does that even work?)  
> Oh! Another fun game! I've looked it up, and haven't really found anything on it... so what do you all think the Gang Orca Agency symbol should be? :D I have a couple ideas, but I'd love to hear what you all imagine when I describe it so vaguely.


	16. Chapter 16: The Question Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku and Tsuyu's question game. Also some extra finishing fluff to the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, this is a pretty abnormal chapter by my standard! Turns out my brother is stranded in Chicago, so I might need to do a saving private brother road trip, which leaves me little time to write! x-x Originally, I was just going to gloss over the question game as a happy flashback in the next chapter, but a comment on somebody looking forward to it made me think, "Well why not?" So here's what equates to a minor-filler chapter, and also a glimpse into the mechanics of Izuku's quirk!

**Chapter 16: The Question Game**

Ducks quacking as they drift idly across the water overlays the sound of rustling branches and bark. Two young voices fall like autumn leaves from beneath the trees as the time ticks slowly by, with Izuku speaking up. "So can I ask the first question?" Tsuyu hummed an affirmative from where she lounged across the branch with hands tucked beneath her chin. Looking over at her Izuku grinned excitedly before trying to pace himself. "How much can you lift with your tongue?"

"I've never really tested the upper limit, but you're the first time I've almost struggled to lift something or someone, Kero. So my question is how much do you weigh?" The frog girl shifted to look over at him with her wide eyes as the boy shrugged awkwardly.

"We had a scale at home, but it broke a long time ago. Last time I knew I averaged a little under two hundred kilograms (Just under 420 pounds.)" The snort of disbelief from beside him has him waving his hands frantically back and forth. "It's true! Apparently my quirk makes my body denser, bones _and_ muscles!" The ribbiting laughter that followed shortly after quickly reassured him that she believed him.

"Kero, That explains why you were so heavy at least. Your turn." 

"Can you see heat signatures?"

"No, Kero. At least not that I've found yet, but I have fantastic night vision. I can see colors in the dark." Izuku gasped and quickly started scribbling in his notebook. The girl noted with some amusement that his pencil looked almost over large for the small book, though in his hand it fit perfectly. "Can you control your tail like a limb? Or is it more an unconscious thing, Kero?" The appendage in question lifted up and waved side to side at Tsuyu, causing her to chuckle again while he answered.

"Yes and Yes to both. My tail has a mind of its own, one that I've come to associate with my quirk. It doesn't really talk, but sometimes I get this strong senses of... emotion? Feelings? Certain urges and sensations that I associate with words in my head, so it feels like my quirk is talking to me." Fascinated she watches as the dark grey tail sways, the spiked club like tip twitching back and forth. "It also has a lot of opinions on things. A lot."

"Sounds like a handful."

"Like you wouldn't believe. My turn!" He finishes writing the line he was on before looking back up to her, face screwed up in thought before brightening. "Is there anything you can't eat because of your mutation?"

Bringing her hand up to put one finger beside her mouth, Tsuyu thinks on it for a second before croaking. "I'm not sure... but I do know that I'm not fond of the taste of some processed foods, Kero. Nothing I've run into yet has hurt me as far as I can tell. You?" Izuku shakes his head ruefully, one hand coming up to scratch at his collarbone with long black nails.

"Nope. My quirk needs me to eat to fuel it. In exchange I can eat pretty much anything organic, but meats and animals give me the most nutrition or energy." 

"Energy?" The girl asked curiously.

"Y-yeah, the more of it I let out, the more energy I use to keep it up." The froggy female could tell that they'd strayed into uncomfortable territory, Izuku's tone slightly hesitant. Before she can suggest a change in subject, he powers on determinedly. "Turns out I can actually push even more of it out, and even transform into something way bigger. G-gang Orca mentioned that I reminded him of Godzillo." She blinks at that before tilting her head even further.

"That old dragon like hero? The one that starred in a couple movies, Kero?" Izuku excitedly sat up as he started eagerly spouting his seemingly endless supply of hero knowledge.

"Yes, that's the one! He's a veteran Hero who not only saved hundreds of lives in his prime, but he's stared in so many movies! He's super powerful, but rarely rose very high in the rankings due to taking on missions that either kept him out of public view or somehow painted him in a poor light. He's also one of the only heroes that All Might has gone on the record stating he wouldn't want to fight seriously! That must mean he has some awesome power!" Wagging excitedly his tail seems to emphasize everything he's saying, even mimicking his gestures in its own way and earning another couple of smiles from Tsuyu.

"Kero. I'm getting hungry, how about we go get something to eat and continue this?" When he nodded agreeably they both made their way down to the soft grass below. Izuku dropped out of the branch with a solid thud as his sneaker wearing feet hit the ground, knees bending to take his weight before straightening. Contrarily to his method Tsuyu simply leapt down gracefully, barely making a sound in comparison before grabbing a small handbag with her tongue from where it was stashed in the branches above. Turning they walked out of the park, chatting together as the sun reached towards the pinnacle of the sky.

_-x-_

Several hours had passed by now and the two teens were seated at a booth in a local burger joint, the artificially bright atmosphere of the corporately owned chain ignored by them. Their game had continued throughout the day, and they both sipped eagerly at the just short of inadequate quality milkshakes that for some reason were still so good as they took a short break. The comfortable silence between them was the kind that came from knowing it didn't always need to be filled, and if either had stopped to think about it they might have wondered how it was they came to such a point already. But in the way of youth, the mutant teens took the gift and ran with it, never questioning its origins or lazy story writing.

Izuku looked up when Tsuyu cleared her throat, putting down his milkshake as he listened to her. "You said you transformed during Gang Orca's rescue. How often can you do that, Kero?" A dusting of red bloomed across the boy's cheeks as he ducked down behind his hands, mumbling something in response. Tilting her head the opposite direction, the frog quirk user croaked again. "What was that?"

"....I said I don't know." Looking up between his large fingers Izuku grins nervously, his tail twitching behind him almost abashedly. "That was the first time I'd really tried to use my quirk. The rest of my life has been spent trying to push it down, keep myself from acting out." The melancholy behind his tone isn't lost on Tsuyu, and her eyes narrow a bit as he gives a sad smile. His next words though just about set her smacking him with her tongue again. "Nobody really wanted to see a monster, so I pretended I wasn't one and tried to fit in." Catching sight of his friend's glare and her mouth starting to open the boy had a rare moment of comprehension and held up his hand to forestall her, looking down while scratching the back of his head. "I don't care about that anymore. I have heroes who've helped me see that It's okay to be a monster. People like you and Gang Orca-san made me happy to be me."

No response came from the opposite side of the table, and after a few seconds he looked back up to see Tsuyu staring wide-eyed at him. The longer he watched the more red suffused her blank face, until she glowed an almost comically neon color. Just when he worried he might need to call an ambulance Tsuyu croaked loudly, the sound startling several other customers at nearby tables. Her hands snapped out to grab her milkshake and yank the lid off, before promptly throwing back half of the remaining liquid in one huge gulp. "T-Tsu-chan?!?"

"Kero Kero, Kerooooow." Setting the dairy treat aside both of her hands came up to press against her forehead. "...Brain freeze." Staring at her with mouth ajar for a beat, Izuku started to giggle madly. Unable to restrain the laughter he still did his utmost to try and help her through the discomfort, offering her napkins to help with the slight spillage of white along one side of her lips. After she managed to get herself back together Tsuyu looked directly at the monstrous boy and said bluntly. "Izuku-chan, do me a favor and warn me if you're going to say something like that again, Kero. My heart can't really take it out of the blue." She could practically see the visible question marks around the oblivious boy's head as he tilted it, confusion written across his face while his tail wagged madly. Shaking her head she stood up and grabbed the remainder of her shake, nodding towards the door. "C'mon, Kero. Let's go walk." Shrugging as he gave up on the puzzle for now (Though some sixth sense told him he should hang on to it for later) he followed the girl towards the street, pausing to apologize for the disturbance before the door slid shut behind them.

_-x-_

The sun started to sink below the horizon by the time their game started to taper off. They'd exhausted almost any avenue of thought they could imagine, and moved on to simpler personal questions. Favorite foods, birthdays, colors, anything and everything they fancied while they drifted between the park, the streets, and even a small shopping district. Neither of them wanted the day to end, and when Tsuyu's mother texted her asking her to come home they reluctantly turned towards the train station. Through unspoken agreement both teens turned away from the street that lay silent, menacing memories lurking beneath the surface of their minds before being brushed away by good company. Taking a slightly longer route let them drag out the last minutes of their time together today, until finally they stood on the platform waiting for the train. 

Izuku hummed happily as his tail wagged slowly back and forth, grinning internally as his mind wandered over the day spent with the girl that had quickly become his best friend. Tsuyu on the other hand was mulling over several of the feelings that continued to crop up the longer she stayed near the armored teen beside her. Suddenly the frog girl felt a slight poking on her lower leg, an she looked down with a curious croak. Curled around her legs from behind was a tail with dark hide, the sides of the spines around the club-like end pressing gently against her calf. Stealthily looking towards him Tsuyu can see Izuku has no idea what his tail is doing, and that makes the gesture... all the sweeter actually. Ribbitting softly as a smile warms her face the girl steps closer to the mutant beside her, shoulder pressing gently against his as he looks down at her with another smile before checking the time for the train. All the while his tail swayed gently in place around her, staying that way until the train rumbled into the station with an automated message playing above them. When the doors opened, Izuku turned to say something to the greenette beside him-

Only to be interrupted by her leaning up on the tips of her toes to press a quick peck on his cheek. The teen's mind crashed like a ship into the rocks, while Tsuyu let out a soft giggle before moving to stand inside the entrance of the train. Izuku's eyes tracked her automatically as his brain continuously tried to reason out what just happened. _**Frog/Lillies/Soft/Protect**_ Bringing up one hand to wave, the girl tilted her head with a big smile and closed eyes as the doors started ringing a closing warning. "Bye-Bye Izuku-chan. Thank you for today, and I'm glad you're safe, Kero. Don't forget to text me." Nodding in his daze the boy watched as the doors slid shut on the sight of her turning to find a seat. He remained standing there for the next ten minutes staring at the space she occupied before his subconscious kicked in and set him off towards home. He made it to the base of his apartment building before his brain finally turned over, a single thought emerging in a stupefied shout that sent an alley cat running for its life, and neighbors shouting questions into the night.

" _EEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHH??????"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This (Surprisingly longer) chapter brought to you by the back seat of my car, a little over halfway done with my roadtrip. :') End me.  
> Time for some Audience Interaction! Feel free in the comments to ask a question from either side (Example: Izuku to Tsuyu, "What kind of product do you use for your hair?), and I'll do my best to answer it with any in-story knowledge the characters would have! (Or with out of story, depending on the question. But no spoilers of course. ^_^ )  
> Next time for real, Dorca Training Arc Start!


	17. Chapter 17: Obligatory Training Montage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Monster Boy is ready to reach for his dream. Time to visit the Orca Agency!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Late chapter, Quarantine stuff sucks. But now, I'm back at it again. Road trip details in end notes, but first the moment you've all been waiting for!  
> Start the Gang Orca training!

**Chapter 17: Obligatory Training Montage**

Staring up at the building Izuku couldn't help but gaze with jaw agape up at the building in front of him. Relatively modest in comparison to the more ostentatious agencies like Endeavor, the Orca Agency headquarters was set into what looked like a three story office building with an attached underground garage access on the side. Located strategically less than a mile from the coast of the Kanagawa prefecture it allowed the number ten hero easy access to both aquatic and land based responses, a necessity for such a versatile hero. The teen was so busy geeking out that he failed to realize that he'd been standing outside on the sidewalk for nearly ten minutes now, several passerby giving him strange or bemused looks before skirting around him. 

Waking up the morning after disturbing the neighborhood peace Izuku had been almost debilitated with excitement, his mother having to remind him several times that the agency wasn't going anywhere and yes he did in fact have time to eat, no he did not have anything on his face, yes what he was wearing was fine. For her part Inko was just amused at how adorably energized her son was at the idea of not only visiting a professional hero agency, but the fact that he was personally invited there by the owner had him over the moon. After her conversation with Gang Orca the day before she'd had most of her concerns put to rest quite soundly, and only her overprotective nature as a mother kept a few of the nagging ones alive. After giving him a little bit extra spending money for lunch later She'd sent the green haired boy with a kiss and a smile, confident that he'd be up to whatever today might bring.

 _"I'm so not up to this."_ Izuku thought to himself in a panic as he stood frozen staring at the entryway. _**Nervous/Fear/Terror**_ Try as he might and with all his bravado before, the monster boy was struck by fierce doubts and second guesses. _"Am I really going to do this? CAN I do this? **Doubt/Doubt/Doubt** I'm just a junior high student that got lucky, no way can I measure up to the expectations of a top ten hero, I'm just gonna fall on my face and he'll take it all back." _With a lashing tail as his nervous thoughts held him in a deadlock, he never noticed the sound of somebody clearing their throat behind him. In fact the first he was aware of them was when a hand came to rest on his shoulder, the sudden touch sending him up with a shout of alarm and whirling around to crouch defensively.

Slim had seen a lot of things in his, from the slums of his home in Mexico to his time as a sidekick to his Cetacean boss man. But a six foot plus mutant teen leaping a full five feet into the air while whipping around to nearly decapitate him with a spiky tail was definitely a new one. If it wasn't for his finely honed reflexes sending him ducking back with a yelp, it's highly likely he'd probably be nursing a headache for the next month and a half, if his head was even still attached. Holding his hands up palm outwards as his wings flared from being startled. "Ay Amigo, Friendly, Friendly!" The large boy in front of him clearly took a moment or two to come down from the heart wrenching surprise. _"Not that he's the only one. This boy can JUMP."_

Izuku stared at the mutant quirked individual in front of him _**Enemy/Doubt/Friend/Savior**_ , his heart racing while his tail lashed side to side. After about thirty seconds of trying to get his voice back under his control enough that it wouldn't emerge as a feral growl he managed to choke out an apology. "S-Sorry about that. Little bit Ne _rrr_ vous." Despite his best attempt he couldn't help but roll his R's into a slight snarl, his lip curling up over slightly elongated canines unintentionally. Luckily the man opposite him didn't seem too bothered by it, his wings folding down onto his back as he smiled reassuringly. 

"Nah, don't worry about it. Everybody has nerves on their first day, doesn't matter what or where. You're Midoriya Izuku, right?" At his nod the bug-headed sidekick smiled widely, his multi-faceted eyes glinting in the sun slightly as he held his hand out towards the teen. "Name's Slim, Sidekick name same as. Nice to meetcha, Midoriya." Shaking his hand Izuku looked him up and down, his smile returning as he was reintroduced to a world he knew: Heroes.

"It's an honor to meet you, 'Dragonfly'!" At the quizzical look he was given, he hurried to explain bringing both hands up in a gesture of worry. "Not that you would call yourself that, that's just what we called you on the Hero Board forums and Herotube. You're such a good sidekick, but you don't spend a lot of time in the limelight. In fact there are rumors and speculation that you deliberately go out of your way to avoid media attention whenever possible, despite the fact you've done enough work to easily go solo!" Slim could only watch in mounting amusement as the fanboy went on to denote many of his greatest accomplishments, some of which he was pretty sure hadn't been broadcast or shared with the public. After about a minute he couldn't help but interrupt with laughters, waving at Midoriya to pause.

"Jumps high, talks fast, and sharp as a knife. I can see why the boss man likes you!" Patting the greenette on the shoulder, the insect man walked past him with a casual follow-me wave. "Come on, I'll show ya in. Boss should be waiting downstairs." Falling in behind him with a wagging tail, Izuku took a moment to appreciate the building without the mounting panic of his overactive mind. At first glance what appeared to be an everyday office building seemed to have been reinforced at some point, the walls made of hearty concrete probably laced with something to support it. Ahead of them they came to the entrance and found a large metal door that had been painted a duller matte grey, beside which a small card reader was topped with a red light. Seeing his interest Slim commented on the security. "You might be surprised, or not, at how many times upstarts wanna start some trouble at a hero's home base. Only took once for the boss to shell out for some serious upgrades. Way I hear it, it left him hard in the hole for a good while, but he wouldn't have anything less than the best for the people working for him. Gang Orca is the best boss to work under, make no mistake amigo."

Stopping in front of the door the sidekick turned to look at the monster teen expectantly, causing him to tilt his head in confusion. When the he gestured at the card reader it clicked, and Izuku scrambled to grab the card from his pocket. Pulling out the Orca card he quickly swiped it through the reader, a pleasant beeping sound accompanying the red light switching to green. Pushing the door open Slim led the way again, the teen gaping as he followed behind on autopilot to appreciate the interior now. The entrance led up to a large desk set in front of a wall bearing the Orca Hero Agency insignia, behind which sat a middle aged black haired woman in a smart looking business suit and hair tied up into a simple bun smiling cheerfully at them as she waved. Izuku couldn't help but pay special attention to the fact that her middle fingertip appeared to end in what looked like a nozzle or opening, the faint scent of gasoline reaching his sensitive nose before she went back to typing on her computer. _**Danger/Fire/Strong**_

Moving further into the building brought them to an elevator beside a set of wide stairs, Slim pushing the button before waiting while humming a jaunty tune. Standing beside him Izuku glanced around the hallway to watch a couple people go about their business, sniffing deeply as his mental scent-radar mapped out the various nooks and crannies of the Agency. _"There are three active sidekicks in the Orca Hero Agency, and I can smell who I think is Riposte on the third floor. No sign of the third, and I can't smell Gang Orca either. Hmmmm, about twenty different people working today, and I can smell the scent of... leather? **Curious/New** Somebody is doing something on the second floor, working with-"_ The sound of the elevator tone interrupted him as the doors slid open smoothly, allowing the two of them to enter the metal box. Surprisingly it wasn't cramped at all, the interior wider than the now closing doors had hinted at. His stomach gave the expected half flip as they started to move down, the man beside him bringing his arms up to cross in front of his chest with a grin. "Try not to geek out too hard here in a moment, eh amigo?"

.....

Yeah no, Izuku was geeking out and he was geeking out hard. The elevator had opened up into an underground gym, a massive space that easily stretched over ten meters end to end and another ten meters to the ceiling above them with solid rafters keeping it steady. The logistics alone in creating such a place must have been staggering without a specialized quirk to do something like this. The majority of the floors were covered in thick mats like the kind a professional gym would have, and one section was dedicated to a selection of workout equipment in progressively larger sizes. Standing beside one of the treadmills holding a clipboard was the number ten hero himself, though it took the teen a second to recognize him out of his Hero costume. Dressed in a comfortable pair of loose track pants and a white sleeveless workout shirt, Sakamata Kugo wasn't really that much smaller looking than usual. To Izuku's eyes though, as the hero noticed them and turned to stride towards them, it was more a loss of presence his current stance and attitude seemed to portray. It was actually quite comforting to the boy, this living proof that even someone larger than life like a top ten hero had such a normal side to them.

"Midoriya, it's good to see you here. You like the place? I got some help from Pixie-bob, of the Wild Wild Pussycats with the digging work." Well that explained the massive workload in excavating this. Tucking the clipboard under his arm the orca man reached out to pat Izuku's shoulder in greeting with a slight smile. "I hope you'll forgive my assumptive guess, but I had a feeling you'd show up." Smiling back at the hero he nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes, Gang Orca-san! I'm absolutely certain this is what I want! I want to be a hero!" _**Fierce/Proud/Strong**_ His tailmind certainly had it right even as the appendage started wagging frantically, causing Slim to hop out of the way with a strangled 'Ack' sound. Lowering his head in embarrassment as they both chuckled, Izuku tried to get his wayward part under control. _"Behave you!"_ Meeting with limited success, he managed to keep it to much more contained swaying before looking over to his hero again. "Sorry about that." Sakamata just waved his apology away with another laugh.

"Call me Sakamata-san when I'm not in costume Midoriya, That will make it easier on all of us. First things first though." Motioning for him to follow, he led the way towards the exercise equipment and a small stack of items sitting on a box. Grabbing some of them he held out a pair of shorts and a simple grey t-shirt to the teen. "There's a changing room over there where you can put this on. To start with, we're going to measure what we're working with. This will give us a baseline to work with moving forward, and goals to surpass. Basically a series of tests and measurements, nothing too strenuous yet. Any questions?" When all he got was a grin and a head shake, he chuckled and handed off the workout clothes with a faux fierce grin. "Get to it, then meet me at the weights. Lets get started, Midoriya."

_-x-_

Just shy of two hours later Izuku was both tired and exhilarated in equal measure, the burn of his muscles a pleasant ache in the background as he poured a convenient water bottle into his gullet. The tests had been pretty much as expected, with very good results if he said so himself. **_Pride_** The results had been recorded by Sakamata-san, who'd been beside him the entire time with clipboard at the ready. Jotting down another note before passing it over to slim who headed away, Gang Orca wandered over to where Izuku was seated at the weight lifting bench. "Well done. You're in good shape, and your quirk has clearly enhanced you in this form too." Izuku nodded as he caught his breath and rotated his shoulder to work out the barest ache from benching the heavy weights before his quirk quickly healed the damage. Noticing the slight crackling sound of his muscles reconstructing Sakamata raised an eyebrow, filing away that little note for later. _"Healing factor, probably accelerates muscle growth too. Should look into it."_ Grinning slightly the cetacean moved to stand in front of the teen and offer him a hand up, before moving towards the mats opposite them and speaking nonchalantly. "All that's left is to find out where you're at in fighting. Come on, lets spar."

Nodding without really paying attention Midoriya followed along behind him while recapping the bottle, setting it down on the edge of the mat and slipping off his shoes automatically.... before his brain suddenly caught up to him. "EH?!? Sparring? Me... and you??" Seeing the hero stretching his arms and back, all he got was a nod in return. This certainly didn't help the boy calm down any as his tail lashed behind him, his feet almost falling over each other as his hands come up as if to deny it by shaking back and forth. "I can't fight you, you're the number ten hero! You've locked away more dangerous criminals than I've seen hero documentaries, and that's a lot! You're way too strong!" Even as he said that, something in his chest seemed to clench and sicken. The feeling of wrongness only grew as the black and white mutant opposite him narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms.

"..... And?" The single response stopped him cold in his tracks, mouth hanging slightly open as he stared. The next words burrowed into his skin and straight to his soul as he watched blazing red eyes burning against his greens. "So what? I'm strong. But that's life. As a hero you _will_ meet someone as strong, if not stronger than you. When that happens, what will you do?" As he spoke he dropped his arms to his side, voice deepening and taking on an almost echoing tone that Izuku recognized as his 'hero voice'. " **Will you run away? Tell them you cannot beat them and surrender? Tell me Midoriya, what happens to the people behind you when you do? When the hero that should protect them decides that he can't win?** " Like the cloak he wore in his costume an aura seemed to form around him, an intense pressure that pounded down onto the armored monster. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he swore those eyes elongated and glowed, flashes of a shadowed face glaring into his soul putting him immediately into a crouch. **"If you want to live in this world, Midoriya Izuku, then you will have to fight against those impossible odds. Come. Show me that monsters like us aren't the selfish, cowardly things that people make us out to be. SHOW ME YOU WANT TO BE A HERO!"** His last words are a shout as his arms come up and out into his classic fighting stance, fingers curled like claws as his legs tensed beneath him and he bared his teeth.

 _ **PRIDE/HUNTER/STRENGTH**_ "I"M GOING TO BE A HERO!" Yelling back at his opponent Izuku launched himself forward, his skin cracking and shifting as his grey armored plates grew thicker and wider. In a detached way he heard the sounds of his socks being torn from his feet lengthening and reshaping, and in his peripheral he could see as Slim threw some sort of switch to bring up walls around the workout area, effectively shielding the equipment from harm. All this was secondary as his instincts roared at him to accept the challenge of the predator in front of him, and he gladly followed them. He wound up a massive right and launched a haymaker straight at the pro...

Only to have it deflected easily by the palm of the experienced fighter, his fingertips grazing the rough hide of his armor before his free hand came down on his head and overbalanced him. He yelped as he tumbled down to the mats, rolling onto his back and instinctively covering his head. " **Fierce, but sloppy. Don't telegraph as much unless you know you can hit.** " Izuku snarled as he scrambled up onto all fours, his claws digging into the padding to accelerate back towards his target. The cracking sounds of his quirk shifting his body echoed loudly in the room as his mouth started to split at the sides, eyes glowing red around the edges. With a roar he swiped furiously at the orca, claws rending the air when he quickly leaned far back. **"NAIVE!"** With a quick motion he jerked forward, bringing his own head crashing against the teen's with a grunt. The devastating headbutt stunned the monstrous boy, who staggered back with a groan. **"You're strong, but without technique-"** Izuku tried to backhand where he heard the voice coming from, only to open his eyes to find him slipping under his now wide open guard. A raised palm caught him on the chin and snapping his head up, before Gang Orca wrapped his fingers around his elbow and tucked his arm under his own. **"You're just a strong, flailing beast. Dangerous, but nonthreatening to anyone who can out-think you. In other words-"** With a building yell the pro hero whirled around in an almost complete spin, the leverage picking the heavier boy off the ground and building momentum. 

**" _YOU LACK DISCIPLINE!_ "**

With his shout Sakamata throws Izuku clear across the mats to crash into the (luckily) heavily padded walls of their arena with a loud thumping sound, before falling to floor beneath. Groaning and snarling as he tried to pick himself up, Izuku couldn't think straight. _**Anger/Rage/Hunt/Ki-**_ He shook his head violently, grunting as his back swelled up with a sharp crack. His head was lost in surging emotions, his instincts and his tailmind were loud in his mental ears. Growing larger the sound of tearing fabric vaguely alerted Izuku to the fact his shirt had just been torn, while footsteps approaching shocked him back into aggression. With a roar he lunged at the oncoming predator, his claws coming down in a double swipe to put down the encroaching threat- 

To be caught by the hands of the Orcinus quirk user in a grapple. " **Midoriya! Focus. Can you hear me?"** Snarling Izuku tried to press his size advantage, his now eight foot tall frame pressing down onto his _**prey**_ \- _"Wait, that's not right."_ Shaking his head violently he forced the thoughts out of his head. Blinking rapidly he looked around and then down, seeing Slim watching on in rapt attention from the sidelines and Gang Orca currently holding back both of his massive grey hided hands. Growling as he fought back the still present instincts, he forced his fingers to open and let go of his opponent. Staggering back he fell down onto his rear, both hands coming up to grasp his head as he groaned. "I take it you're back with us?" Glancing up between his fingers he saw Sakamata shaking out his hands with a concerned look on his face, so he nodded hesitantly.

"I don't know wh-what happened. I swea _rrrrr_ -" Blinking he tried to stop himself from growling, but to no avail. "That's n _rrr-_ new." He heard a chuckle from in front of him and turned to find that the hero had sat down cross legged in front of him.

"Looks like your quirks gonna be difficult. I had a suspicion it wouldn't be that easy. Something as strong as yours wouldn't just roll over and let you have the keys, scott free." Seeing his confused and worried look, Sakamata shook his head and reached out to pat Izuku's gently, clicking soothingly deep in his throat. "Don't worry, this is just another thing we're gonna work on these coming months." Seeing his unsure look he ruffled his hair again, while the transformation slowly began to undo itself. Shrinking slightly as his hide seemed to liquefy and be reabsorbed through his skin, It wasn't a perfect conversion it seemed. Some runoff of the stuff seemed to fall from his skin to gloop onto the ground, the strange substance almost black and slimy looking. Luckily though it seemed to quickly dry out and then turn to feathery dust, requiring nothing more strenuous than a sweep to clean. Grunting as he stood up the hero looked over to his new protege. "You're a novice, but that's to be expected. I'm still one hundred percent certain that you have what it takes to be a hero. The first step is finding a way to control your quirk, and to build up the necessary muscle, skills, and reflexes you're going to need. So..." Izuku looked back up as Gang Orca's voice took on a different tone, seeing his mouth parted into a jagged toothed grin that sent a slight shiver down even his monstrous spine. "I hope you're ready for ten months of hell. You've got some catching up to do, if you wanna show the world what you're made of. You ready to be hero, you damn goby turd?" Slowly an equal parts feral and excited grin spread across the the boy's face, to match his mentor's. With a nod he shouted his answer with the hint of a roar. _**Pride/Strength/Pack/Friend**_

"YES, SAKAMATA-SENSEI!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Made it home, safe and sound. Man I should really look into something more tangible than gratitude as repayment next time. Everybody is okay, and everybody is home safe. I hope you all are enjoying the story so far!! :)  
> P.S. you didn't REALLY think I'd leave you hanging on the stats right? ^_^ Here ya go!  
> Izuku Midoriya, Baselines (Pre Ten Month Training)  
> Height: 1.9m/6'2 Weight: 190kg/419lbs  
> Maximum Weight Lift: 200kg/441lbs  
> Maximum running speed: 11 meters per second/24.6mph at a dead sprint Averages: 6mps/13mph  
> Striking force: Eh, I aint a scientist so i conjecture roughly 1000-1200lbs? That's closed fist in base form, hitting as hard as he can. It's on the high end of a professional boxer, so I figure it fits for a boy with a monster quirk. I'm sure someone could science better than me.  
> Basically, Izuku's mutant part of his quirk works as a total stat enhancer for strength, durability, and some degree of speed. His muscles are stronger, more densely packed than an average human, and his bones are much tougher. Hopefully this gives ya an Idea of what he's working with!


	18. Chapter 18: Hatchling Steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a Monster Bean works out and gets big.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My hero! Hero show me what I gotta do! We're back with another chapter!

**Chapter 18: Hatchling Steps**

Izuku quickly fell into the rhythm of training with Gang Orca, the brutal but fair regimen he handed the boy detailing not only his time at the agency but also his home workouts. In total the teen was at the agency three afternoons a week, with the hero footing any train expenses with a special pass. He also returned to school on monday, and wasn't that an experience in and of itself. Turns out the majority of his school was unaware of the details of his disappearance, with the teachers only being told it was a hero excused absence. When he'd walked back into the room that morning he'd gotten no more than passing glances of curiosity from the other students, with one notable exception.

As he'd sat down into his well worn desk Midoriya couldn't help but sigh resignedly, already wishing to be back in training rather than here at school. As the door slid open a faint familiar scent reached him, a scent like burnt sugar mixed with simmering anger. The ingrained response was to cower down into his desk in an effort to avoid notice, but Izuku's mind almost violently pushed it aside. Instead he sat up even straighter with his tail slowly swaying back and forth behind him, as his childhood frie- tormentor came to pause beside him. Looking up to meet his eyes without flinching the teen found the reds of Bakugo Katsuki looking back, appraising him with some kind of unrecognizable emotion swimming within them.

"..... Deku." Katsuki could see the tenseness in the nerd's shoulders when he spoke to him, and his green eyes never left his like they would have before. When he'd heard from the old hag that Deku had been brought home safely, he didn't really know how to feel. A confusing knot of tangled emotions coiled in his chest, one that he eventually just shoved to the side in favor of disdain. Of course he was back safe, his punching bag wasn't so weak as to be taken down by some half-bit villain wannabe. Somehow he wanted to convey this feeling, to tell the boy in front of him who made his chest feel tight with conflicting feelings of fear and anger that he was somehow glad that he was back. But what came out was, "... You survived, shitty monster nerd."

"Yeah..." The greenette looked back at him calmly, his tail tip twitching back and forth as he fought down the urge to growl and bare his teeth at the other male _**terror-bringer/fear/anger/disdain**_. "I made it back, Bakugo." The moment the name left his lips he could see the eyes of his bully widen, mouth opening slightly before shutting with an audible click. With his sharp ears he could even hear the sounds of the blonde's teeth grinding in his jaw, while his knuckles popped from a clenched fist. Izuku's shoulders automatically tensed as the ephemeral sense of a threat built up, his lip curling up as fiery orange leaked into his eyes with a building growl- Only to be interrupted by the teacher throwing open the door and hollering at the students to get back into their seats. Bakugo abruptly turned away to go sit at his desk, his hands clenched as he robotically went about the process of homeroom. Relaxing his body Izuku did the same, unable to see the still wide eyes stuck in an expression of shock on the face of his former best friend.

_10 months remain (Might I suggest, Hero A - Boku no Hero Academia OST?)_

About a week into his training Izuku received a text from Gang Orca requesting his presence somewhere new for his training. So donning his grey workout outfit (he'd been bought a lot of the shirts, also paid for by Sakamata) he quickly jogged to the nearby location, arriving quickly at the edge of one Dagobah Beach. Much to the detriment of the locals the once Idyllic beach had become a trash dump in recent years, its beautiful view covered by the garbage that naturally accumulated due to the tides. Humans of course being terrible creatures promptly used that as an excuse to dump their own trash onto the sands, adding to the pile until the attraction became an illegal landfill. He couldn't really remember a time when it wasn't like this, but even the monster bean couldn't help but feel sad that such a travesty was allowed to happen.

Standing on the edge of the sand in his civilian wear was the orca man himself, and he greeted Izuku with an outstretched fist as he approached. Grinning the teen completed what had become their customary ritual at the beginning of each training, pressing his knuckles to the other's in a solid fist bump between two mutants. Originally it had been Slim that jokingly began the tradition, but it had been adopted by everyone else in the agency with varying degrees of enthusiasm and amusement. Dropping his arm back down Sakamata gestured to the trash heaps around them. "Morning Midoriya. Tell me, do you know what this place is?"

"A public beach that became a dumping spot because of the tides, right?" Izuku looked around at the literal piles of junk, noticing fridges, microwaves, a washing machine, even the rusted remains of a small car poking out from one of them. "You also said we're here for training though?" Nodding the cetacean turned and motioned for him to follow, threading his way between the mountains of misplaced items towards the shore as he spoke.

"In my patrols on the water I've passed by this beach many times, and each time I couldn't help but lament the increasingly distressing situation of it. After a conversation with another hero on the roots of heroism, I've come to a decision." Arriving on the water's edge Sakamata turned to gesture out to his sides with both hands palm up, a sudden gust of wind sending a spay of seawater shimmering into the air framing his silhouette. "Part of your training will be to clean this beach, and restore the view that once was!" Looking around at the piles of trash around him stacked higher than some of the houses he'd seen on the beachfront... Midoriya grinned and turned back to his trainer with a shout of agreement.

"Yes Sensei!"

_9 months remain_

The days had begun to blend together when the last aspect of his training was introduced, the two mutants along with Skim standing in the underground training area. Bare chested Izuku glanced around to see that the protective wall in front of the equipment was already in place, and he couldn't help but feel a slight hint of nervousness with a twitching tail. Turning back to Gang Orca he stood ready to receive his next instructions, or so he thought. "Today we're going to work on your quirk control."

"Eh?" Izuku blinked at that, his tail curling up behind him in a questioning manner that had both of the others fighting back reactions at the surprisingly hilarious mannerism. "I thought that I lose control when I try to use my quirk?" Sakamata cleared his throat to get rid of any residual laughter before continuing.

"That's correct, and that is exactly why we must work on your control. We have seen some of what you're capable of." The boy winced a bit as he recalled his struggle against the Doctor who'd kidnapped him, and couldn't help but agree with the hero's next words. "If every time you transform you lose control, then your effectiveness as a Pro Hero will be severely impacted. We already know its possible to control yourself, we just need to work on it." Gesturing towards the padded section Gang Orca pointed out what looked like a raised section of large pads that formed a square platform, and several other large cushions of varying sizes and shapes. "We're going to have you meditate, and try to come to grips with controlling your quirk."

Looking towards the pads dubiously, the teen nonetheless climbed up to the center of the square and crossed his legs. "I'll try my best, Sensei. Not really sure how well this will work though..." Closing his eyes Izuku took a deep breath before exhaling slowly, placing his hands across his lap as he tried to empty his mind. A minute or two of fidgeting later and the boy couldn't help but be exasperated, letting out a huff of air at his failure to make any progress. Only to be startled by a huge burst of hot air being huffed right back at him, falling backwards with a yelp and shooting his eyes open. Around him the sounds of insects in the nighttime woods were a constant backdrop to the occasional screech of strange wildlife, tall scrawny trees reaching up towards unfamiliar stars. But most importantly was the enormous creature laying curled on its side in front of him.

Even laying down with its arms tucked beneath its chest was a massive bipedal saurian creature, with a sloped forehead above two forward facing glowing orange eyes leading down to a multi layered series of plates around the mouth that separated out into two mandibles when it opened. It didn't have a mouth full of sharp teeth but instead four large, uncovered fangs where the canines would be, and a long sinuous tongue that flicked out as it swiped along them. The color of the hide matched the look of the teen's transformations, and when the creature moved one large hand up to scratch the side of its neck lazily he could see the same wickedly sharp claws at the tips of each long finger. Behind it a massive spike clubbed tail raised up before slapping down with a ground shaking thump, while the muscled beneath the gently spiked shoulders rippled slightly. As the greenette looked up at the perfect physical representation of what his full transformation had looked like, he couldn't help but speak aloud his thoughts on the situation.

".....Well this is gonna suck."

_7 months remain_

Huffing and puffing down the beach Izuku hefted a small refrigerator over his shoulder, jogging across the beach towards the large flatbed trailer Slim had hauled to the beach parking nearby. Since they'd begun at the beach Gang orca made sure to leave at least one of his sidekicks with the boy if he couldn't be there himself, but for the most part he was trusted to take care of himself. The work was clearly paying dividends, the bare chest of the teen covered in a glistening sheen of sweat under the glaring sun. Arriving at the half full receptacle the fridge found its place amongst the rest with a grunt and crashing sound, Izuku patting his hands to dust off the grime as he turned to look back at the site of his training. Despite the massive amounts of trash still remaining there was a noticeable dent in the vales of throwaways, a visible patch of sand now resting at the base of the stairs leading down from the road. 

As he gulped down the cool liquid from his ever handy water bottle (a habit that he picked up from his mentor, always have one handy) a flicker of movement caught his eye, the monster boy looking over curiously with twitching tail. Standing at the edge of the guard rail near the stairs a thin blonde man looked out at the cleared space in the trash, a curious look on his worriedly gaunt face. _**Curious/Strange/Strong?**_ He honestly looked like a yellow haired skeleton with two slightly droopy antenna made from it, and as he took a deep inhale through his nose Izuu swore he could detect the faintest scent of blood. Frowning he started to move towards him, intending to ask if the man needed help of some sort. Before he could reach him the stranger turned and disappeared down one of the many side roads leaving the monster teen standing at the place he was before, curiously staring after the man who smelled of strength and blood.

_4 months remain_

During the hellish months leading to graduation, Izuku and Tsuyu had settled on staying in touch through texting. When the monster teen had mentioned his intense training in passing one night, Tsuyu had responded that she had also stepped up her own. Something that had been spurred by his disappearance from in front of her those months ago, and the feeling of helplessness that she wanted to try and bury forever. He'd heard that she and her family were headed to a place out in the woods, where she could freely practice with her agile quirk in both jumping among the trees and swimming in the nearby river. Fully supportive the boy had wished her the best, gushing for a few messages on the various things he had thought up that might even be of help to her. Her response of teasing thanks made him stutter and blush for the next week, enough that Gang Orca had asked him if he was feeling well, but only after tossing him across the sparring ring (It pays to pay attention during the martial arts portion of training).

_2 months_ _remain_

The early morning sun across the water shined on a mostly clear beach before glinting off the rusted chassis of an old van, on top of which the still figure of a young male sat cross legged with hands folded in his lap. Even as he sat silently meditating and onlooker would notice as his skin seemed to ripple and roll, like the muscles themselves were trying to escape their fleshy prison. Cracking sounds as the armored plating shifted and adjusted on his bare shoulders and down his arms, while his crossed legs seemed to bend and extend at the ankle slightly before returning to normal. As his face alternated between the muscular but still cute freckled face of youth and the stubbier, mandibled jaw of his quirk the sound of footsteps on sand broke through his enforced concentration. Opening his orange colored eyes Izuku turned just in time to reach up and catch a water bottle thrown to him, Gang Orca standing there with one of his own. "Working hard at it I see, Midoriya. Any progress?"

Cracking open the plastic container he drained half of it into his wider split side mouth and gulped heavily, standing up and slipping the bottle onto the roof of the van. "Some. _Grrrr,_ Still trying to figure out how to balance the instincts and _**pointless-thought**_ thinking." Shaking his head side to side he hopped down onto the sand with a muted thump, reaching up his elongated arms to stretch his back with satisfying pops. "Are we going for another run today?" Gang Orca nodded as he moved over to set his custom water bottle down onto the hood of the wreck.

"Jogging then sand sprints, alternating until we cool down in the surf. We need to work on your transition between the water and shore some more. Come, let's begin." Leaning forward the number ten set off at a steady jogging pace down the clean shoreline, followed quickly after by the taller form of the transformative teenager. Try as he might Izuku couldn't quite seem to maintain his usual gait with his elongated legs, and much to his embarrassment often settled into a lumber sway side to side as he accelerated. Sakamata had advised that he not worry about appearances, and instead to try and own it as his image in the eyes of the media. Huffing in amusement Izuku lengthened his stride moments before his teacher started sprinting, dropping to all fours as he used his claws to dig into the sand with each lunge. Turns out having massively muscled arms made him pretty quick over short distances.

_1 week remains_

Roaring again as he lunged forward to collide with the solid wall that was his sparring partner, Izuku dug his split toed feet into the pads for leverage and shoved. With a grunt Gang Orca lost about a foot as he was pushed backwards, clicking angrily as he grinned and returned the favor. Slim watched as master and student went back and forth across the mats in a medley fists meeting flesh and loud noises of surprise or aggression. If he didn't know better the bug man could have sworn he was watching two animals fighting for dominance, something about the fight resembling the controlled savagery of wolves trying to get the upper hand in the pack hierarchy. With a twist the hero managed to overbalance the bigger combatant who fell with a snarl, but the pro was quickly forced back by the clubbed tail whistling through the space where his head had been a mere moment before. Fall back he regarded the crouched figure of a beast, the snarling maw framing orange human eyes as his fingers spread out with menacingly curled claws. Chuckling he stood up straight and dusted off his tank top, barely so but noticeably winded as he spoke. "That's enough. Well done, Midoriya."

Straightening up immediately from his crouch the greenette grinned back at his teacher, the expression distinctly alien with the addition of the two mandibles spreading when he spoke or smiled. "H **ow'** I do, Sakama'-sen **sei**?" Another issue they'd found with his now dubbed "Half Shift" was that his speech suffered drastically from his deformed oral anatomy, though it was understandable in all but the most stressful of situations it seemed. " Grrrrraaaa **I** last muc' **long** er tha' time!" He also growled when he spoke. Or thought. Actually, when any amount of his quirk was being let loose Izuku had a tendency to inject growling, snarling, and deep chest rumbling into pretty much all of his mannerisms. Shaking his head and motioning for the boy to change back, Sakamata laughed aloud.

"Much longer this time. I have to say Midoriya, I expected progress over the course of our training but you have far and away exceeded those expectations." Moving to stand in front of the shrinking boy, Sakamata couldn't help the swelling sense of pride in his chest. In the future he would firmly blame his following actions on that pride and the dregs of post combat adrenaline. Reaching out to grasp the shoulders of the younger male he pulled him into a solid hug, making a happy click in his own chest as he praised him. "You couldn't be more ready, and I'm very proud of you, Midoriya Izuku. I'm proud to be your mentor. "

With eyes wide open against the shoulder of the pro Izuku's hands twitched, before they came up to hug him back tightly, words choked up behind a rising tide of tears that he barely managed to restrain. _**Confused**_ The feelings his teacher and friend's words evoked in him brought back a half-forgotten memory **smoke/fire/home** , almost like the wraith of larger arms reaching down to wrap him up _**joy/happy/want**_ , and the blurry smile of a muffled speaking figure... before the dreamlike memory vanished at Gang Orca stepping back _**sadness/longing**_. Before the disappointment at the lack of contact could manifest one of the hero's hands came up to pat the top of his green curls playfully, and the teen looked up into the crinkled white eye patches holding smiling red eyes. Nodding underneath the hand of his role model, Izuku grinned at him with tears in the corner of his eyes. _**Happiness.**_

"Thank you, Sakamata-sensei! Thank you for everything!"

_11 hours remain_

The night before found Izuku sitting at his desk, pencil moving across the pages of his notebook steadily. The scratching of the lead filled the room like a soothing song, while the swishing of his tail played counterpoint to his raging thoughts. Despite all the assurances of teachers and mothers, he was still nervous from a lifetime of doubt. Try as he might he couldn't silence that nagging voice of pessimism, determinedly telling him that a " _Monster like me has no place, nobody cares about a monster. All alon-" **Not alone/Pack/Friend** _The feeling of his tailmind interrupting his self destructive spiral jolted his head up, looking around wildly before settling back into the chair with a creak. Bringing one arm up to cover his face, the feelings of nervousness slowly faded back into the white noise of his mind, a smile tugging at his lips as he stood up. Shutting the notebook Izuku looked to one side of his desk, where a pair of photographs stood framed in simple metal.

The first showed Izuku shortly after his training began, Carrying a microwave under the bright sun with a harried look on his face while Gang Orca shouted at him in the background with crossed arms. Slim had a habit of taking pictures whenever he could, snagging many of them with judicious use of his wings and cell phone. Despite the harsh training Izuku couldn't have been happier at the time. Then came the second picture, and he reached out to pick it up gently. The second was a from behind shot set in the morning at Dagobah beach, the sun just rising off to the side of the focus. It was the day he had finished the cleaning for good, dragging the last car from the pristine sands just as Gang Orca arrived with Slim in tow. As the pro congratulated his protege, Slim had quickly whipped out his camera to capture the moment.

Izuku had been smiling widely at the praise with eyes closed and tears in their corners, while smiling softly opposite him Sakamata had reached out to rest a hand on the younger's shoulder. The angle gave a perfect shot to capture both faces, and Izuku felt that same swelling of pride and happiness as he contemplated the proof of his next step. With a determined quirking of his lips he set the picture back down in its treasured spot, before turning to get ready for bed. No matter what happened, he was absolutely certain that he would make his mother, and his teacher proud. _"Just like Sakamata-sensei said... **PRIDE"**_

_"I'm Ready for this."_

_-Entrance Exam Day begins-_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I hope my ducklings are staying safe, staying healthy out there. I've been hard at work swapping my classes over to Online only mode, lemme tell ya. But I'll always put aside some time to bring you all the next chapter in Armored Cinnamon Bun's saga. :) I hope you're all still enjoying yourselves, and that this small offering helps you through the dreary days of quarantines. Comment away, I love to read em! I may not reply to every last one (I try though! XD) but I promise that not a single one goes unread!   
> Until next time, 3wolves going to sleep! ^_^


	19. Chapter 19: I want to prove it to the world, But more importantly...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the Entrance exam here at last Izuku steps forwards confidently!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 4/11/20 New Note: IM BAAAAAAAAAACK!
> 
> Old Note: Hey everybody, 3wolves back again! I wont bore you with details here, so check out the end notes for why I missed a post! :) But now we're here, and Entrance exam BEGINS!

**Chapter 19: I want to prove it to the world, But more importantly...**

A tapping of claws on metal beat a nervous tattoo against the vertical pole of a passenger train, the teenager gripping it muttering to himself almost inaudibly. The yellow backpack hanging over one uniform jacket clad shoulder was gripped tightly between his fingers, while the swishing of his tail back and forth played rhythm to the percussive melody of his nails. Several other passengers had looked to the boy with reactions ranging from curiosity to worry, to amusement and even slight trepidation at the fearsome look of concentration on his face. For the most part they all decided to find seats or places away from the murmuring student. Izuku, bless him, was completely unaware to all of this, his mind currently alternating at light speed between running over memorized subjects and worrying about whether he'd pass either of the exams. _"I know what I said to Sakamata-sensei is still the right choice, I can feel it! But still, does this make me arrogant? Like Ka-"_ _**Anger/Betrayal**_ He growled as he shook that name from his head, startling a businessman who had braved a seat near him into moving. _"I'm nothing like Bakugo."_ The automated message of his stop brought him back up from the spiraling thoughts, drawing a deep breath as he walked out of the automated doors into the light. Looking back in time he couldn't help but remember the words that had led him here, when Gang Orca had made him another offer...

_-Flashback, 6 Months_ _remain_ -

"Recommendation exam?" Izuku perked up slightly from where he was sitting against the padded wall of the Orca Agency underground dojo, water bottle in hand after a bout of sparring with Slim. The winged sidekick was a wily opponent, often utilizing his mobility advantage in creative ways to outmaneuver the relatively clumsy newbie. He never rubbed it in though, instead preferring to focus on helping the boy by pointing out where he could improve. After their most recent bout ended Sakamata had approached Midoriya with his offer. 

"Yes, for the U.A. Hero course." The orca hero was dressed in civies at the time, a white T-shirt and blue over shirt above a pair of jeans gave him a far more down to earth vibe than his hero costume. Scratching the side of his neck thoughtfully with one finger, the hero contemplated his trainee. "As you know, usually prospective students need to take an entrance exam to enter U.A., which consists of a written and practical portion. I can't tell you what it involves but you already know that the acceptance rate is extremely strict, even among schools for heroics." Izuku winced in pain as he clenched his hand around his water bottle, an injury from earlier straining on his knuckle. U.A high school's Heroics course was notoriously difficult to enter, with less than a ten percent acceptance rate every year. The general education classes were a bit easier to get into, but even there U.A. proved itself to be the best of the best.

Gang Orca nodded in sympathy as he continued his explanation. "U.A. has a system in place to allow some Pro Heroes, important contributors, and a few select people to recommend a student for their Hero course. These hopefuls take a different exam than the general admission, which is arguably less strenuous. If you agree, I will put you forward for this." Sakamata crouched down in front of the bow and frowned, reaching out to take his hand. Clicking disapprovingly as he revealed an angry red gash along the knuckles of his trainee, he started unwrapping the bindings around his fist while he gently scolded him. "Midoriya, have you been wrapping your fists properly before striking practice? You can't just rely on your durability and healing factor to get you through, you're going to need technique as well."

Izuku laughed nervously while his uninjured hand moved to rub the back of his head embarrassed. He thought about what his teacher was offering and what it would mean for him. _"If I was recommended by Sakamata-sensei... then I would have a much better chance at getting in. I wouldn't have to compete with everyone else, I'd only have to pass the easier exam." **unease**_ The more he thought about it the more he was sure that he should be relieved by the option, it would relieve so many of his anxieties and worries in one fell swoop. _"But even still..." **Unease/Discontent**_ His hand fell from his head while his mentor continued to talk, coming to rest against his chest. _"Even still why does my chest ache like this?"_ Clenching his fingers into a fist against his heart, Izuku thought back on his declaration to the hero months ago. _"I-.... I don't want it to be easier."_ He looked up when he realized that Gang Orca had stopped speaking and was watching him, patiently letting his thoughts run their course before Izuku spoke. "Sakamata-sensei... Thank you for the opportunity, but I decline your offer to recommend me."

"Your reason?" The black and white pro's voice held no disappointment, in fact the boy could have sword he could see a smile threatening at the edges of his mouth. Sakamata stood and offered his hand to the monstrous quirk user, pulling him to his feet so they could see eye to eye. 

"Because I want to- No, I _need_ to show them that I belong there." His hands clenched into fists in front of him, the crackling of his wound closing over with a wash of black emphasizing the creak of his knuckles. "I'm going to prove that a monster like me can be a hero. _**Pride/Fierce**_ That means no shortcuts and no easy way out. I'm sorry for being disrespectful to you for not taking- Ow!" While he'd been looking down to apologize the man had reached out to flick one finger against his forehead, forestalling the apology. Holding his head with a slight pout Midoriya found his mentor holding out a closed fist to him, shaking it when he doesnt react at first. Getting the idea the boy slowly held out his own to bump his knuckles against it, followed by a much softer smile spreading across the orca's face.

"Don't ever apologize for following your heart, Midoriya." He pulled the overshirt off and tossed it to Slim, who sputtered and juggled the article along with his own drink. The pro moved over to stand opposite his apprentice, dropping into a loose martial arts stance. Smiling back Izuku dropped into his own form he'd been working on, his mentor clicking approvingly at the placement of his feet before continuing. "Oh, and when you take that entrance exam Midoriya-"

_-Present-_

_"Prove it to them all."_ The teen looked up in awe from the gates of the prestigious hero school, the massive steel and glass buildings making him feel very small indeed. Around him various test goers passed through the entry, a sign denoting directions for the exam takes on the right giving them all a direction to go. All the nerves, worries, and second guesses surged forwards to the front of his mind again _**Doubt/Concern/...Lillies?**_ only for a faint scent to waft past his nose, his head immediately turning with a deep sniff. In his mind the white shapes of all the people walking around him blurred together, the overwhelming amount of information quickly sifted through to find something familiar to the boy. Further inside came the traces of the scent of his friend, prompting him to step forward with his eyes still closed. The sudden bump of a body against his and an angry curse quickly brought him stumbling back out of the trance, opening his eyes to find an angry blonde glaring back at him.

"Watch where you're going, shitty monster nerd." The sight of Bakugo Katsuki glaring at him from above a scarf would have led to the greenette lowering himself, trying to stay small in an effort to avoid the wrath of his tormentor. But months of hard training and a newfound determination led directly to Izuku just huffing in disinterest, turning away from his former friend without a word. From behind him he could hear the telltale grind of the other teen's teeth as he struggled to restrain himself before he scoffed and walked past him, not without a parting shot. "Just stay out of my way, Deku. I'm going to crush you some day." Shaking his head and flicking his tail Izuku, turned back to try and find his friend. Unfortunately for him the universe wasn't quite done getting its kicks, and the toe of his right shoe caught on a slightly raised brick in the paved path. _**Surprise!/Startled!**_

As he tumbled forward Izuku yelped in surprise, struggling with a thrashing tail to recapture his balance before he face planted onto the hard ground beneath. Lurching forward into a controlled fall he tried to catch and push himself back up with his powerful arms.... or at least that was the plan. When his hands pushed off the ground instead of using just enough force to jolt him back to his feet, the monstrous green bean found himself launched backwards. The drop of his stomach as he flipped over backwards cut off the startled yell building in his throat, and allowed him to hear the squeak of panic from behind/in front/below him? Followed almost immediately by a feminine voice calling out with a slight stutter. "R-Release!" Without any more warning gravity returned its hold onto his body, and sent him plummeting to the ground on his back with an exhaled 'Oof' on impact. "Ohmygosh, I'm so sorry! I didn't think you'd try and pick yourself up like that! I'm sorry for using my quirk on you without permission, I just thought it would be a bad omen if you were to fall before the exam!"

Grumbling as he rolled over and pulled himself up into a sitting position, Izuku got a good look at his erstwhile savior. Brown hair cut into a bob above an open cheerful face with constantly rosy cheeks, the girl in front of him was currently frantically trying to ascertain whether she'd caused him any lasting harm, repeatedly apologizing and waving her hands around worriedly. Standing up and dusting himself off, the greenette tried to reassure her with a smile. "I'm okay! Thanks f-for trying to help me, I don't blame you for not knowing. I guess I'm a bit nervous, I'm usually better at knowing when someone's behind me." Reaching up to rub the back of his head while chuckling nervously, Midoriya noticed her sigh with relief before putting her hands together and smiling widely.

"Oh man, I'm glad that you're okay and not mad. I'm a bit nervous about this whole thing too, and the last thing I needed was to make one of the other test takers mad at me, ehehe..." Smiling back at her the boy tried to surreptitiously glance around, but the scent of lillies had faded shortly after his tumble. He couldn't help the slight burst of **_disappointment_ **that twinged through his heart, but resolved to try and find her after the test. His attention was snapped back to the girl in front of him when she bowed and turned to leave. "Well, we don't wanna be late do we? Good luck!" He waved belatedly as she practically bounced away towards the buildings of the school, dropping his arm as a smile worked its way across his face. Pulling the strap of his backpack tighter over his right shoulder he walked after the other examinees, tail waving slowly behind him as he disappeared through a door.

_-One grueling written exam later-_

The rolling rumble of voices echoed through the room, good acoustics and hundreds of exam hopefuls combining into a dull roar that softly rattled Izuku's sensitive ears. The boy leaned across the table in front of him, trying his utmost to ignore the burning glare of poppy colored eyes digging into his head from beside him. _"You know, in retrospect it makes sense that they'd organize seating by middle schools."_ _ **Annoyance/Irritation/Anger**_ Despite his bully's best attempts to kill with a look, Izuku lifted his head to sniff at the air quietly. When he'd first entered the expansive room he'd caught another hint of the tantalizing scent, but quickly lost it in the muddle of too many excited teen bodies. Izuku sneezed as another particularly powerful chemical smell drifted over him. " _Would it kill some of these guys to lay off the body spray?_ _ **Disgust/Nausea**_ _I can practically taste the old spice."_

It was at that moment that with a loud thunking sound the main lights of the auditorium went out, a surge of surprised chatter preceding expectant silence. In the new quiet the sound of boots stepping across the stage echoed softly, Izuku's empowered senses picking them up along with the vague scent outline of a tall man. With another series of clicks the stage lights went up, followed by a massive screen flicking on with the UA logo on a moving blue backdrop. An energetic voice called out across the gathering from behind his leather clad and crossed arms, a majestic crest of yellow hair sweeping up and back like a cockatoo. "To all you examinee listeners tuning in today, Welcome to my Live Show! Everybody say ' _HEY!'"_ Throwing his arms wide the shouting hero turned to cup a hand to his ear, soaking in the... resounding silence as his response. "What a refined response.... Well then, I'll just give you rundown on the practical portion of today's entrance exam. _Are you ready?? YEAH!!"_

_"Oh wow, that's the Voice hero, Present Mic!"_ Izuku proceeded to have a mental nerd out over one of his favorite heroes, even as the man began explaining the details of the practical. _"I love his radio show! Despite running it almost every Friday night, he still manages a successful hero career, even going on to-"_ The sudden growl of a voice beside him broke through the spiel, his wagging tail stilling as the blonde snarled his direction. "Shut the hell up, Deku. Your muttering is annoying as fuck." Apparently not as silent a fanboy as he thought he'd been, the teen laughed nervously and scratching the back of his head before tuning back in to the animated screen assisted explanation. Apparently the exam revolved around getting points via destruction or shut down of several different kinds of robots, ranging from one to three points and scaling in strength along the way. Just as he was reading about a built in kill switch located somewhere on each model, a loud voice shouted out and interrupted the radio host's spiel.

"Excuse me, May I ask a question!" As a spotlight came on to illuminate the speaker he could see a relatively tall and straight backed bluenette standing, gesturing at the handout as he went on about the fourth villain and basically started impinging on UA's professionalism. _"If he was nearly as observant as he was loud, he'd have noticed that Present Mic was getting to it. Then we wouldn't be stuck here listening to- **Alarm/Threat** " _His tailmind suddenly snapped his attention to the fact that the glasses boy had whipped around to point at him, continuing to shout. "You with the curly hair! Your muttering has been distracting everyone from the explanation, I must insist that you cease your disruptions at once!" Still caught off guard by the sudden shift of focus to himself, Izuku didn't have time to clamp down on his Instincts like he normally would have. _**SILENCE/DOMINANCE**_ Without missing a beat as the loud teen opened his mouth to continue the monstrous boy snarled loudly in warning, the sound actually rattling the chairs and tables in his immediate vicinity and sending everyone between the two ducking out of the way in the suddenly dead silence. 

_"_ _... Aw crap."_ Internally Izuku was freaking out at his aggressive display, his tail twitching out of sight in a nervous motion. Meanwhile he never broke eye contact with the shocked examinee, _**Intimidate/Strength**_ his mouth opening and closing as he struggled to get words out after the feral sound from the now unblinking beast looking down on him (Literally, since he was three rows ahead and below.) Luckily for the young hero hopeful salvation came in the form of an over eager announcer. "Okay Okay, thank you for the call in." Present Mic motioned for everyone to return to their seats as the screen beeped and showed the outline of the fourth opponent, going on to describe it as an arena trap better to be avoided. The glasses wearing male sat quickly with almost military precision, trying his best to ignore the fierce gaze that remained on his back for a moment or two before vanishing. The voice hero wrapped up his explanation with a rousing quote from a man long dead, culminating in burst effect on the screen behind him as he shouted the school motto. "Go beyond! PLUS ULTRA!!" 

_-Shortly After-_

The sound of too many voices in a cramped space along with the overwhelming scent of nerves, excitement, and testosterone in the males locker room was making Izuku lightheaded, and even after he focused on shutting down his scent-sight it nearly did him in. _**Nervous/Agitation/Fight**_ Shaking his head at his tailmind's impatience he instead went about his business of changing out of his middle school uniform, tossing his clothes and backpack into the lockers provided by the school. His outfit today consisted one of the grey tank top shirts from Gang Orca's training that stretched remarkably far when he grew in size, along with a pair of specially made athletic shorts he'd received a couple months into his training regimen. They'd been made by a support company that specialized in Hero Items that catered to transformative quirks, and had only required he shave his head and send them a decent sample of the hair to be woven into the fabric. Luckily it turned out his quirk also accelerated his hair growth, shooting back out to its usual fluffy mess in just under three days afterwards. 

Standing up from the convenient bench Izuku looked longingly at his favorite red sneakers (a new pair, thanks to his first time transforming) and regretfully stowed them away in the locker as well, since it wouldn't do to ruin yet another set. Turning to follow the other examinees he walked barefoot out into the bright sunlight, shading his eyes as he saw several white buses with blue highlights parked beside large signs. Each of the vehicles corresponded to one of the urban arenas, and he quickly moved towards the line for Battle Center B to enter the bus. _"Okay, Okay! No need to panic this is what we've been training for all these months! **Nervous** " _So busy hyping himself up in his mind as he found a seat towards the back of the bus, Izuku never noticed the slightly hunched figure boarding the bus with her green hair tied into a bow and sitting towards the front.

_-Somewhere_ _dark-_

Several figures sat in mostly silence, some of the silhouettes leaning over and speaking softly to one another or comparing something on the screens in front of them, and perched in a seat above the rest a small white furred creature sipped from a steaming cup. A beeping drew the attention of one of the smaller shapes wearing a helmet shaped like an excavator scoop, and he reached out with one gloved hand to tap the flashing screen. The glitchy static of the screen jumped with each tap, several messages popping up and vanishing as he grumbled and tried to fix it. Hidden behind several pointless notifications a single black window opened with white text, before pinging again with a 'Download Complete' appearing beneath a black and white symbol of an alien's skull impaled by a knife. The windows all quickly vanished and returned to normal, leaving the teacher scratching his head as he wondered what had caused the technology to freak out, unknowing of the foreign program biding its time in secret.

_-Back at the bus-_

After a relatively quick bus ride to the exam site the teens began disembarking quickly, the tall monster quirked one noticing when his seat partner nudged him. Stepping down from the door of the vehicle Izuku looked at the massive walls in front of him with mouth agape _**Surprise/Awe**_ , his tail slowly waving side to side as he gawked. _"Holy Sheeee-eets and Blankets. I guess when you're the top Hero School in the country, you've got cash to burn."_ The various exclamations of awe from the others around him only managed to ground him and reassure him that he really was here, looking at the extremely realistic fake city they were about to be thrown into. Reaching up to slap his cheeks he tried to refocus on his earlier confidence, Izuku took big breaths before exhaling slowly to bring down his heart rate. _"Okay, breathe! Focus and find that_ place."Mentally reaching back into the depths of his consciousness he tried to find the clearing in the woods, blinking as he came face to face with the manifestation of his quirk. _"Good thing you haven't left me after all, hey buddy?"_

As was normal for him the only real response he received was a grumbling growl as the huge saurian creature turned to regard the boy, huffing out a heated breath that ruffled his mental hair. Despite spending hours on end trying to come up with some sort of way to control it, Izuku had found that his quirk wasn't all that interested in being told what to do most times. In fact the harder he pushed the more likely it was that his instincts would buck and rage against his control, sending his physical body into varying states or uncontrolled rage, hunger, or in one bizarre case a total lazy torpor spent curled up on the hood of a rusted car in the sun on the beach. Temper tantrums aside he'd still managed to come to some sort of unspoken agreement on the use of their shared body with the fickle creature occupying his psyche, much tothe relief of both his mother, Sakamata, and the sidekicks training him throughout the summer. _"Hopefully it holds up in an actual battle, even if it is just a mock one for an exam. Still wish I'd figured out how to fully transform, that would have been very- **LILY!** "_

The boy loudly yelped as the mental shout of his tailmind sent his mental train of thought crashing into a fiery derailment. Whipping his head around to where his instincts were screaming at him to look, sure enough he could see his friend standing next to another familiar face and talking to her. The bob cut brunette from earlier was smiling and rubbing the back of her head as she spoke to the froggy girl beside her, the tilt of Tsuyu's head telling Izuku that she was contemplating something before replying. _**Lily!/Happy/Go-go!**_ Smiling with a wagging tail he started off towards the two, intent on speaking to his friend before the exam began. "Hold on, you delinquent! Those girls are clearly trying to- OUCH!" A sudden movement of a hand in the corner of his eye and a loud angry voice sent him into a reflexive response, his own hand shooting out to grasp the wrist of the glasses wearing heckler from the exam and bend it backwards away from him. 

Snarling as he turned to glare down at the lean boy, the monster teen struggled to reign in his instincts with flashes of blonde hair and explosions running through his head. Taking a couple deep breaths he calmed down his beating heart and lashing tail, tossing away the arm in his grip as the crackling of his skin trying to split open fell silent. "First. Do _not_ touch me without permission again." Inhaling deep he held it for the count of three _**Fight/Kill/AngerFearANGER**_ while everyone around them took another step back, watching the confrontation with wary eyes and whispering frantically back and forth. "Secondly, if you had bothered to ask questions before accosting me, I could have told you that I'm trying to go and talk to one of my best friends." The more he spoke the angrier he became, starting to huff as his lips curled back over teeth that started to meld and grow into larger fangs, while the skin around his neck started to grey and harden creeping up towards his face.

"But instead you decided based on your preconceived notions that clearly I'm up to now good. You should get that self-righteous attitude checked quickly, because I guarantee that the people your supposed to protect are going to be the ones suffering for it if you make it **through** **here**." _**Intimidate**_ As he'd reached the last two words the bottom of his mouth had split with a meaty crunch, the outer sections of his lower jaw extending into mandibles that flared out to the sides as he gave another vicious snarl before whipping around to stalk away from the gobsmacked examinee. The people in front of him quickly parted like water around a rock until he stood at the outer edge of them facing the large gates, arms crossed as he struggled to reign in the tide of anger and years of injustice currently trying to sweep him away and under the surface of his instincts. _"It's so STUPID. **Anger/Frustration/Pain** Why does everybody take one look at me and assume that I'm the bad guy! We live in a world where you see mutant quirks all the time, and one person with a monster one shows up, and we're back to the fu-_ Huh?" 

The sensation of being poked in his side caused him to lurch around to look down, managing to catch himself with only minimal tail thrashing. Standing beside him and looking up at him with her black eyes, Tsuyu croaked before tilting her head and pressing her finger to the side of her mouth. "Kero. Hello Izuku-chan." Behind her the crowd of others watched on with horror written across their faces, certain they were about to watch a frog get squished for daring to poke the beast that had just gotten done threatening the boy from before. Thus it was understandable that they were greatly surprised when the green haired boy grinned widely, his tail wagging frantically behind him and his jaws opened.

"Asu- I mean Tsu-chan!" _**Lily!/Frog!/Happy!**_ Izuku was slightly ashamed to say that in his anger over Glassses' assumptions, he'd forgotten the reason he'd been stopped. Turning towards her he reached out and hugged her tightly, not even noticing as her eyes widened minutely and the crowd's jaws dropped. Pulling back he began wagging tail again, the image of an over sized puppy popping into Tsuyu's head. "I thought I smelled you at the entrance, but I must have just missed you! I couldn't find you in the auditorium, but now you're here and talk about lucky!" 

"Kero Kero, I'm glad to see you too Izuku-chan." The lightest dusting of red across her cheeks gave away the internal struggle of the amphibious mutant, trying to push aside both her joy at the excited greeting from the large boy and also just how good it had felt to be hugged so tightly. "I see you're busy making friends. Also, I don't remember your um.... Mandibles, Kero?" She tilted her head the opposite direction as she watched the features in question twitch and move in time with the boy's mouth, curious as to their appearance. 

"Oh, uh yeah. I may have made some breakthroughs on using my quirk over the summer." _**Pride**_ Bringing a hand up to rub the back of his head, he couldn't help but preen a little bit as he relayed the information. "I can't quite transform fully yet, not without losing control anyways. But I've figured out a way to meet in the middle as it were." Despite her apparently bland look in response, he could tell that he'd caught her curiosity. Dropping his hand down to his side he closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. Focusing on the feeling he'd been honing over the months of training, he tugged his quirk towards the front of his mind. His body began to creak and groan as his muscles and bones grew and thickened, his legs pushing him up higher and higher before seeming to bend backwards in the middle with a snap. His feet also changed shape, toes merging and lengthening until he had four. As his startling metamorphosis finished, he opened his eyes to look down at his friend.

Standing at a height of 3.7 meters, Izuku's armor across his torso and lower body had thickened considerably. His face was mostly unchanged except for the lower mandibles and slight splitting at the corners of his mouth, along with his hair receding somewhat back along his skull. His shoulders sported small spikes and the thick armored plates traveled down to two plates of hide across his forearms. His hands were comprised of four large digits, three fingers and an opposable thumb all tipped with curved claws. His clothes had stayed mostly intact with the shirt now stretched tightly across his muscled chest, and the athletic shorts had changed to match his new size, allowing his long club and spike tipped tail out through a cleverly constructed hole in the back. His legs were almost entirely blackened hide and grey armor, and the biggest change was now his digitigrade leg structure. His legs clearly bent in two places, one where normal knees would be and the other a stretch of about a foot above his ankles, while the last section of leg ended in a four toed foot; two in the center, a smaller toe on the outside and one additional toe that jutted backwards. Grinning down at his awestruck froggy friend, Izuku opened his mouth to speak. " **I call it my** **Half Shift**. **I can still control my self like this, and I've tried to make it so my speech isn't too affected."**

With wide eyes and a pounding heart, Tsuyu looked up at her monstrous companion. Her frog like instincts were yowling and screaming at her that she was in the presence of a predator, but her head and heart somehow knew that this was still Izuku. Even when he towered nearly eight feet above her, she couldn't find it in herself to be afraid of him. Her lips quirked upwards as she looked up at his eyes, noticing that they were a little smaller than before. His normally green emerald eyes were shot through with streaks of orange, but she could still see the same adorable hero nerd that didn't once judge her in them. "Kero Kero. I think you've turned your quirk into something amazing, Izuku-chan." Her eyes closed as she let out a rare smile, her happiness shining through the bland facade her quirk forced on her. When they opened again she found out that Izuku blushing in this form was surprisingly bright, a fierce almost glowing orange/red tint to his cheeks as one big hand came up to scratch the back of his head. Unbeknownst to her, the two teens shared the exact same thought about each other in that moment. _"C-Cute." " **Cute/Frog/Lily** "._

Before either of them could speak again, the sounds of the of the gates beside them opening interrupted with a squeak. In a tower a fair distance from each of the arenas a group of professionals watched as a chimera flipped a switch, powering on the horde of mechanical foes just waiting to perform their duties. Perched atop the concrete monolith, Present Mic grinned as he looked between each of the groups before cracking his knuckles and taking a deep breath. _"Time to make some listeners jump."_ Shouting out his words for all to hear, he sets into motion the even that would decide these young one's futures.

"OKAY, START!!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 4/11/20 New Note: NOW THATS A BETTER CHAPTER! ^_^ Im back at it Ducklings! So here's both my apology for a lackluster chapter, and my return to writing. :D For right now, Im going to change my posting schedule to once a week on saturdays. But in exchange I'm going to up the quality of the chapters. Thank you again for all your kind words of support. :) It meas the world to me, it really really does.   
> This is 3wolves, and I'm back to bring you the story of a Monstrous Hero. Plus Ultra Ao3!
> 
> Old Note: So yeah, hey guys and gals and everything else! I'm back. Short chapter I know, but I didn't wanna get into the action yet. I've had a bit of writer's block, and here's the skinny:  
> Due to a completely my fault action, I effectively lost everything i had written past the chapter before this. As im sure you can imagine, that was an incredibly demotivating loss of work. I'm trying to get back into the swing of things, rekindle that fire you know? I'm sorry again about leaving you all in the dark so long. I'm going to take a week to try and get back in the rhythm of the story, give it some gas so to speak. So the next time I post should be next saturday if all goes well. In the meantime, I hope you all can forgive the absence, and the wait, and the subpar quality of this chapter.  
> This is 3wolves, going to bed for a better tomorrow! Plus Ultra, Ao3!


	20. Chapter 20: Goliath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Entrance Examination comes to a stunning conclusion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aw yeah, Here we go again! Buckle up Ducklings, because this is gonna get wild.
> 
> P.S. Komodo has done it again! Another Fan-TASTIC piece of Fan Art! OMG I'm positively chuffed!  
> https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/414481430664708121/700347324521644072/P_20200416_160837_vHDR_On.jpg  
> Here's the link so everybody can appreciate his/her/their hard work! Also I love it so much that the symbol at the top is accepted as canon for the symbol that appeared on the screen last chapter! :D  
> Anyways, enough gushing for now (SQUUUUUEEEEEE). ON TO THE STORY!

**Chapter 20: Goliath**

Several exclamations of confusion and surprise followed the abrupt shout, hero student hopefuls turning to stare up at the tower where they could distantly see the outline of the screaming pro. "What's wrong, Listeners?? There's no countdowns in a real battle! See, some of you have the right idea!" The solid thudding from behind them drew their attention to two greenettes launching themselves into the city on all fours. Shouting they jostled each other as they hurried to follow, while Izuku huffed and sprinted on all fours into the mock city. To his pleasant surprise Tsuyu had no trouble keeping up with him, her long powerful hops keeping them more or less level with each other. Reaching the first intersection of the realistic looking town their eyes found each other's... before they both smiled and split to the left and right, Izuku calling out behind him as he shook the ground with his powerful strides. " **See you later Tsu-chan**! _**Eager/Lily/Excitement!**_ " 

"Bye Bye Izuku-chan!" Tsuyu waved over her should mid-jump before landing on a sign post and hurtling further along the road. Turning back to watch where he was going, Izuku couldn't help but feel the pumping rush of adrenaline fill his madly beating heart. _"It feels so amazing to just run, I'm almost excited for this exam! Now where can I find a-"_ With the crash of metal on brick the wall in front of him exploded outwards, the dust quickly blowing away to reveal an army green faux villain. Turning it's sinuous neck to regard the massive boy it brought one of its shielded arms to bear, the whine of an attached gatling gun spinning up as it balanced on a single large wheel. Its red eye-like camera glowed as it beeped, before speaking in a higher pitched mechanical voice.

"Target Acquired. I will kill _Yooooooouuuuu~!"_ Whatever it was going to say was lost in the roar of a 437kg monster-human hybrid as he thundered towards it, Izuku's claws tearing gouges in the asphalt accelerating him even further. Before the first rubber bullets began to spew from the rotating firearm, an armored shoulder impacted the metal torso with a solid crunch. The machinegun unicycle stood no real chance at withstanding the force behind such an attack, and went flying down the road with its' final word echoing out in a comedic manner before it impacted a lamp post and crumpled to the ground in a sparking heap. Huffing as he straightened up to his full twelve foot height the teen spread both arms wide, baring his claws and teeth in a snarl. 

" **Come on**! _**Proud/Fierce**_ **You're not so tough**!" From the alleys and buildings ahead of him more glowing red eyes began to shine, the sounds of wheels and clanking legs echoing in the concrete jungle as three 1-pointers and a 2-pointer emerged to stare down the road threateningly at the examinee. ".... **Me and my big mouth**." Before he could do much more than sweat drop he threw himself to the side, reflexes honed by months of training prompting him to remove himself from the line of fake bullets that sliced through the spot he'd just occupied. Running towards them he reached out to snag a nearby trash can bolted to the curb and tear it from the ground, spinning to add momentum before chucking it full force at the group of gunbots. One of the _Victory_ robots went flying as the metal object collided with a crunch, knocking a second one over and disrupting the impromptu firing line long enough for Izuku to close the distance. Roaring he brought his clawed hand down on top of the last 1-pointer to flatten it, followed by immediately catching the tail of the quadrupedal _Venator_ with both hands.

" ** _Grrrrr_ ,** **you're a bit tougher**. _**Hunt/Destroy**_ **Not tough enough!** " Wrenching the metal appendage towards him he pulled the 2-pointer off balance onto the ground, where he could follow up by bringing down one massive foot down on the point its neck met torso. A sound of rubber on asphalt from behind him sent a reflexive jolt through his body, his lithe tail lashing out to catch the would be sneak attacker on the side of its wheel. Tumbling to the ground it was then smashed to pieces under the spiked club of Izuku's tail, a grinding beep as the camera watched the creature turn towards it. The image of the inhuman silhouette was the last thing the simple faux villain saw before it lost power to its systems. Huffing in satisfaction Izuku turned back towards the city, taking a deep sniff as he dropped to all fours again. " **That's six points. No time to lose!** " He hurtled off towards the sent of oil and gunpowder, the shaking ground following after him like thunder after a storm.

_-In the Exam control_ _center-_

"This year certainly has a good crop of potential." The squeaky voice of a small furry creature rose above the murmurs of his staff and the beeping of the monitors, while in front of him a small screen was the moving quickly between different exam applications so fast a normal person would be sick. To the High-Specs chimera however it was simply a slew of easily parsed information, allowing him to match faces to files as the different perspectives of their observation bots showed the hopefuls in their fight. "Put into a situation with only limited Intel, the quick of mind and body hold the advantage. Reconnaissance, mobility, tactics, strength, and sheer combat ability..." The screens flicked between different examinees with a click of a button, showing off the various teens as they went about the process of dismantling robots. Nezu paused a little longer at the scene of a large creature facing down an _Imperial_ bot, all the teachers watching as the large male was bombarded by a series of missiles he seemed unable to avoid. The bear/rat/dog chuckled as the green haired mutant appeared from the smoke of the explosions, apparently unharmed as he lunged at the slightly smaller mechanical villain. "Durability in spades too it would seem."

"He's Illogical. I've already seen him move fast enough to avoid gunfire from the 1-pointers. He could have easily dodged the rockets." A shaggy haired man ensconced in a banana yellow sleeping bag muttered tiredly, his bloodshot black eyes watching the screen in front of him as the 3-pointer was dismantled. He narrowed his eyes as he noticed something behind where the boy was standing, a one point robot seemingly deactivating by itself before a puff of dust from something landing beside it rose. Flipping through his own applications he quickly found a blank picture, a slightly off-putting smile creeping across his face as he put two and two together. "Hmmm... On second thought, not bad kid." A chuckle from the principal drew his eyes briefly, the sound tipping him off that the animal had already noticed the same thing he had.

"Well, looks like most of the faux villains have met an untimely demise!" Nezu sipped from a cup of tea before setting the saucer down on the arm of his specially made chair, then leaning forward to flip up a glass box covering a big red button labeled 'Yaruki Switch'. "I know it's only been about six minutes, and we usually send them in at the eight mark... but facing the unexpected is part of being a hero!" Laughing maniacally he slammed his small fist on the button, a high pitched beep echoing in the room as the distant rumble of massive machinery churning to life reached them even this far from the sites. "Their true test begins now! _HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!_ "

Far, far from UA a silhouette sat hunched over a computer desk illuminated only by the glow of the screen, and surrounded by the whirring of servers. A soft ping and a pop-up on his screen drew his attention to a silently running video feed, beside which a black and white command box waited with a single line of code ready in the input. A deranged smile stretched across the gaunt features of the person, while a masculine voice emerged as he moved to select the command box. "For the good of the world, Let them be culled." The sound of the enter button being pressed echoed far louder than it should, while a small notice asked if he really wanted to continue. Giggling softly he press Y without hesitation, sending moving lines of code running rampant in the windows. Leaning back he looked up to the flag bearing an Alien skull with a diagonal knife above his desk, whispering hoarsely to himself while cracking his knuckles one by one on each hand. "I wont let it be in vain, my love. _Homines salvos._ "

_-Back at the exam site, moments before-_

Breathing heavily Izuku leaned with one hand against the wall beside him, glancing out over an intersection of destruction left by the others. He'd just gotten done dealing with a pair of 3-pointer faux villains that had been bombarding a couple other examinees, their sensors focused on their prey to the point that it was almost too easy to blindside them. Unfortunately despite being bulky and slower than their smaller counterparts, the missile launching baddies packed a mean backhand in their forelegs. To top it off he'd decided to take a salvo of missiles to the face to protect an unaware combatant behind him, his scent tipping him off to a female sneaking up on a 1-pointer. By the time he'd scrapped the _Imperial_ there was no sign of her however, and he'd decided to take a break to catch his breath. _"It didn't leave any lasting damage, but those missiles stung. **Dissatisfied/Pain/Grumble** Luckily nobody was hurt. I think I'm somewhere in the mid thirties by now, I've kind of lost count. About four minutes left, so I should-" _

His train of thought was interrupted as a huge crashing was followed by a ground shaking rumble, dust rising from the city a block or two over and drawing the eyes of everyone nearby. Slowly a massive steel hand lifted above the top of a building, before gripping onto it and pulling an enormous rectangular head and body up into view. Grinding sounds of treads on the cracking asphalt were accompanied by the shattering glass of the buildings it passed, and six huge red eyes considered them all before glowing ominously. The shouts of fear and screams of alarm from everyone as they started to run filled Izuku's ears, even as the Zero pointer drew back an arm to smash its fist into the ground and send a shock wave bursting out in a cloud of dust. Stumbling back with tail lashing to keep his balance, Izuku struggled to choke out his words even his his tailmind started screaming with conflicting emotions " **Isn't this- _INTERLOPER/THREAT_ A little TOO big? _ATTACK/FLEE/HUNT/RUN!_** " Shaking his head he turned to start loping away with everyone else, knowing that it was a meaningless fight for no gain.

The _Executor_ rumbled onwards in its mission to frighten the fledgling heroes, the many small figures turning to flee before it. Suddenly the imposing figure stopped cold, its hand outstretched towards the ground in an intimidating display. Inside the control center far away, an alarm was screaming frantically as a blood red 'WARNING' flashed on the screens. Dashing to his console Maijima attempted to bring up the command programs for the villain bots, only to find them locked into running a program as he screamed back to the others. "Principal, Everyone! The Villain bots in site B are executing school defense protocols! They're identifying every examinee as threats, and switching to threat suppression tactics. I can't stop them, the system locked me out!" Smashing a gloved fist onto the keys he watched helplessly as the Zero pointer finished its protocol boot sequence, the other teachers scrambling to find a solution.

The suddenly still bot let out a massive blaring horn, the deep resonating note startling all the teens attempting to remove themselves from its area into grasping their heads. With a speed belying its bulky form the colossal machine threw its arm to the side, obliterating the office building beside it and sending chunks of rubble flying towards the retreating children. Throwing themselves into cover Izuku and the rest could only watch as the rubble pummeled the area they'd been standing in moments before, before the robot began a relentless march towards them on spinning treads. Picking himself up the greenette turned to continue his retreat, intent on reaching safety before the villain could do any more harm-

"Ow!"

When a small voice reached him through the rumble and screams, almost lost beneath the clanking metal of the monstrosity bearing down. His head turned as if underwater to where he could see a young woman trying to lift herself up, her brunette bob cut hair stuck to the side of her face as she tried to reach the rubble pinning her ankle beneath. Beyond her the Zero pointer inched closer with clear intent, its eyes glaring downward towards its trapped prey. _"It's the nice person from this morning. I can't just **Move** leave her!" _Turning he started running back towards the helpless female, his hands falling down to the street to boost his speed. _"Crap Crap Crap, gotta hurry! I don't know if I'm gonna make it, I gotta-"_ A sudden flash of green jumping from a nearby alley caught his eye, even as his heart leapt into his throat at his sickening realization. " **TSU-CHAN!! _LILY!!_ "**

Tsuyu had heard Izuku's cry as she launched herself towards the girl she'd met earlier, but even if she could have she wouldn't stop. Uraraka was trapped with no way to get out, and the robot clearly wasn't taking it easy on them if its earlier attack was any indication. Landing beside the brunette the amphibious girl immediately started pushing at the rock, struggling to lift the massive chunk of concrete from her new friend. Grunting in exertion she threw her entire weight against it, panicking as the sunlight above her was blocked out and the sound of treads stopped. Gulping the teen slowly turned to look up and back, eyes widening as the red glow of the villain's gaze glared down at her. Slowly and purposefully the huge machine began to reach down towards her with an open hand, whether to grab or crush her didn't really matter.

The sight of his best friend leaping into trouble sent a shock of fear through Izuku, pushing him faster in an attempt to reach her before the _Executor_. But when it began to reach down towards his _**MY LILY!**_ friend, Izuku saw red. Shouting out a wordless denial he skidded to a stop beside a piece of a building that was nearly as big as he was, his skin cracking and muscles tearing as he wrapped both arms around it. With a herculean effort the monstrous boy rotated his body and roared in rage as he launched the massive projectile like a primitive catapult, sending it hurtling through the sky like a meteor towards the Zero Pointer. With a wrenching crash the concrete impacted the top of the robot's head, shattering the top right eye and sending it lurching backwards off balance from the sheer force behind the throw. Rushing forwards again he sprinted over to where the two girls were staring gobsmacked at the robot having to reach out and catch itself on one of the buildings to remain upright, skidding to a stop as he reached down to quickly and carefully lift the rubble off the wounded one. " **Tshu-chan, 'e nee to go! Gra' her an' ho' on 'y back.** " His control slipping while he urgently attempted to remove them from the danger, Izuku's words were losing coherency as his transformation steadily progressed. His hair had receded further until it was barely visible as a small mohawk-esque strip, and his shirt was stretched to the breaking point across his large chest. Desperately reaching down towards his **_Lily_** he failed to notice the ominous creaking behind him, or her widened and panicked eyes as she opened her mouth to warn him.

In the control center Nezu was standing atop the back of his chair shouting orders like a captain on a ship in a storm, while around him the other professionals frantically tried to remedy the situation. "Maijima-san, keep working at restoring control of the bots! Toshinori, do you have time left?" Turning at the sound of his name, he looked back towards the principal and shook his head in the negative. The principal's tail lashed back and forth as he turned back towards the front of the room. "Ectoplasm! Send your clones to try and deal with it. Present Mic, can you do anything from here?" The voice hero responded immediately via a radio headset he was wearing, his voice audibly stressed across the connection.

"No can do! Anything I can produce that would hurt the thing from this distance would also hurt the little listeners near it!" Gnashing his teeth in frustration, Nezu's mind was running a mile a minute with possibilities, solutions, and reasons those solutions wouldn't work. Turning towards his personal screen he began attempting to try and route bots from the nearest battle centers, a ploy that might be able to buy the potential students time enough to get out of the danger zone. Before he could complete the command cries of alarm and futile warnings brought all eyes to the main screen, and Nezu's heart dropped as he prepared to witness the first death to ever occur in his entrance exam.

One second her friend was there in front her with arm outstretched towards her, prepared to carry them both to safety... the next he was gone in a flash of steel and green, the hand of the massive robot crashing into the side of the boy with an open palm. Her hair rustled in the wind as she whipped her head around to follow his body as it effortlessly smashed through the bricks of the building beside them, disappearing into darkness inside without another sound. Unable to speak past her heart in her throat she reached one hand out towards him, a soft plaintive croaking sound escaping as the robot slowly reset its position. "K-Kero?" Beside her she could hear the panicked gasping of Uraraka as she pulled her injured leg up to her chest and curled in fear, and she slowly turned to look up at the Zero pointer staring back down at her. Letting out another blaring cry like a warships horn the mechanized menace brought its arm back for a devastating punch, and Tsuyu threw herself over the other girl in a futile attempt to shield her from their oncoming death. As the seconds stretched out like hours to the girl her eyes widened at a swelling feeling in her chest, a surging feeling of bloodlust that by all accounts should have had her instincts cowering in terror. But to Tsuyu it was the exact opposite, and as the titanic fist began to fall she relaxed against the other girl whispering quietly. "It's going to be okay now, Kero." 

Izuku felt like he was drowning as he struggled to lift himself from where he'd fallen, embedded halfway into the next room of a simulated storefront and unable to do much more than scrabble in an attempt to right his body. The crunching of his bones realigning after the hit was loud in his ringing ears before they also evened out, his vision flickering between a fake city and an alien forest. _**Get up**_ Falling from the wall to flop onto his stomach he pushed down to lift himself, claws scraping against the wooden floor before giving out again. _**Get up!**_ Lifting his head and shaking it side to side as he panted he could see Tsuyu and the nice girl framed by the hole he'd made in the wall, the sound of her soft cry and sight of her reaching hand shooting through his brain like flashes of lightning. _**GET UP!**_ In a time that seemed to stretch for eternity to him, Izuku watched the saurian figure of his quirk lift itself up to its full height and stare down at him. Growling as his _their **our** _tail lashed back and forth in aggravation, he _we **I**_ reached out towards Izuku with its huge clawed appendage. 

_**PROTECT** _

_**LILY!** _

Tenya Iida could only watch as the boy he'd accused earlier was sent through the wall like a rock through a paper screen, both his and the other onlookers around struck dumb at the brutal spectacle before them. The time limit had come and gone unnoticed with the suddenly deadly shift in what should have been a carefully monitored and perfectly safe test, but while he stood there gaping he couldn't move, couldn't speak, and couldn't think of anything besides the fact that he was about to witness more prospects like himself die. As the gargantuan fist of the Zero pointer rose like a guillotine above the girls... a sudden wave of gut-wrenching, heart consuming ~~_FEAR_~~ shot through him and everyone else in the immediate vicinity. From behind him he could hear whimpers and retching sounds as several of the weaker of heart hopefuls were overwhelmed by the flood of anger, and Iida stumbled back as the fist began to fall accompanied by a crack like stone being shattered.

The sound of metal impacting flesh rang out across the exam grounds followed immediately by the crunch of asphalt compacted beneath a huge force... and Tsuyu could only look up in awe at the enormous form of an armored monster physically stopping the fatal punch with both arms, his sword-like claws griping the sides of the fist tightly while his toes dug deep into the spiderweb pattern street beneath him. Roaring loud enough to shake the earth around him Izuku began to squeeze tightly, the creak of bending metal lost beneath the grinding and whining of servos straining to pull away from the infuriated grip of the beast. Wrenching the arm of the robot to the side he bodily throws it against the building opposite his temporary tomb, the force behind it sending his feet deeper into the concrete and the treads of the _Executor_ grinding to keep it in place against the unexpected power. Blaring out at angrily the creature the skyscraper sized machine tried to grab the smaller form in its free hand, only to miss as Izuu dropped down to all fours just fast enough that only the small spikes on his shoulders scraped the bottom of the arm like nails on a chalkboard. 

Bellowing out in challenge the enraged teenager in a monster's body crouched down over his charges with curled tail and glanced towards the girls beneath his belly, glowing orange eyes locking with wide blacks as his muscled limbs creaked and groaned like springs wound tightly. An inkling of intent gave Tsuyu just enough time to crouch over Uraraka and pin them both to the ground as best she could, just before Izuku launched himself upwards with everything he had in his insanely powerful body. The resulting shock wave sunk the street around him into a crater and sent him hurtling upwards into the sky towards the rogue villain bot, flying towards the remaining glaring red cameras staring him down with his arm cocked back.

_** CRUSH/KILL/PROTECT  ** _

Letting out a howling cry of anger so loud it was heard clear up in the dark control room tower, the monster's fist smashed forwards into the center of the rectangular head of the Zero pointer. The steel bent and broke under the weight of a seventeen hundred fifty kilogram armored titan behind the blow, several small explosions sounding as the internal systems buckled and failed in a cascade reaction. The last remaining camera stared fixedly at the demonic visage of a roaring avenger, a screen in a dark basement far away capturing the final image in a still frame as the connection was finally lost with the would be executioner. Falling backwards like a puppet with its strings cut the Zero pointer crashed into the ground with enough force that several of the weakened buildings fell in on themselves, several more large explosions obliterating the rest of the once impressive work of mechanical might. 

Staring in awe at the carnage and swirling flames the onlooking teens watched as the twenty foot tall frame of the beast stood up from its prey, fists clenching and unclenching as its tail slowly swayed back and forth. Turning its head to look behind it a single eye like molten stone dared anyone else to threaten what was his, before Izuku threw his armored head back and roared to the sky with fangs and claws bared. In his mind a single word forced its way through the animalistic sounds, urges, and instincts, turned into a phrase that rang true to the boy as the pro-hero world watched the first step of a new breed of hero.

_**I AM GOLIATH** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So uh, I actually may have lost track of time playing Hunt: Showdown and forgotten to get this finalized and posted. <_< SORRY!!  
> BUT YEAH, NOW THATS AN EXAM! Luckily, nobody was irreparably harmed! Nothing a good old fashioned healing factor can't fix. :) As anyone who has played Evolve can tell you, the monsters are some resilient bad mutha's, so its definitely a defining trait of our Armored Green Bean. Anyways, I'm so stoked that everybody is still enjoying this as much as they are, and hope that I continue to live up to the hype you guys are giving me! Stay classy, Ducklings!


	21. Chapter 21: Post-Game Lobby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the entrance exam all wrapped up, Izuku and Tsuyu start dealing with the aftermath. In the distance, Angry Mamadoriya rising.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Ducklings! I'm just gonna change my official posting date to Saturday/Sunday. :P I tend to get distracted too easily.  
> BUT ANYWAYS, HOW WAS THAT LAST CHAPTER? I'm glad everybody seemed to like it so much! :) Let's slow things down a bit as we come down from the entrance exam high, and get some more of that good Froggy girl (TM) fluff!!

**Chapter 21: Post-Game Lobby**

The stunned silence of everyone watching was shattered as the humongous teen roared his triumph, excited and worried chatter spilling out from both examinee and teacher alike as they rushed towards the scene. Up on top of observation tower Present Mic had the presence of mind to clear his throat and do what he did best, his voice sounding unshaken despite his inner turmoil. "ALRIGHT, ITS ALL OVER!! EVERYBODY MAKE YOUR WAY TOWARDS THE ENTRANCE GATES, AND ANYBODY INJURED REPORT TO THE MEDIC BOTS!! YEEEEEEAAAAH!!" The moment his message was delivered the blonde hero whipped a hand up to his headset, swapping to a teacher only channel. "Nezu, better get Ectoplasm to double time his clones to Site B. The big little listener seems awfully cranky." 

Izuku had stopped roaring as the super powered shout rang out across the damaged fake city, bringing his large claws and teeth to bear in a warning growl. The sound of many approaching feet drew his attention to the encroaching horde of excited and curious onlookers _**Threats/Anger/Hunger**_ , and with a snarl he took a menacing step towards the other examinees. His stomach roiled and coiled on itself as a gnawing hunger made itself known, the need growing sharper as his burning eyes locked onto the nearest piece of _**prey**_ \- "Izuku-chan!" The sound of the familiar feminine voice cut through the haze like a breath of fresh air, Izuku's head jerking down immediately to check on Tsu-chan _ **Lily.**_ The froggy girl crouched beside the curled up form of the bob cut brunette, looking up at the two-story tall monster her friend had become. 

Tsuyu watched as the large saurian form huffed and lowered itself to all fours, leaning down close towards the girl to sniff worriedly. How she could tell it was worriedly was a matter of... well actually she wasn't really sure how she knew. It was the same way she just knew that despite the fact this creature's mandibled mouth could fit around her torso without effort, and probably go through it even easier, that she was in no danger at all. Common sense went flying out the window as the dark grey monster seemed to check her over from head to toe, the feeling of hot air brushing over her body as he snuffled her almost like a dog causing her to giggle and reach out to pat the huge head without thinking. The feeling of the armored plate across his forehead felt like running her hand across sun warmed cinder blocks, the rough sensation on the pads of her long fingers surprisingly enjoyable as she pet Izuku. Grumbling in relief she could see the tension visibly drain out of the shoulders of the immense beast, his tail slowing its agitated flicking into a calmer wag. She croaked happily as she started scratching along the curve of his cheek. _"Honestly he's just like a big puppy, kero. Not all that scary at- Wait, Hold on K-kero!"_

Squawking in alarm as she was pushed backwards onto her butt, she found herself sitting with her lap occupied by the head of her bestial companion. Grumbling happily as he flopped to his belly and shook the surrounding area, Izuku nuzzled against her front in an almost childlike manner while rumbling deep in his chest. The vibrations of his massive voice combined with the press of his rough hide against the front of her outfit was doing strange things to her insides and despite her superb ability to remain outwardly impervious to emotional fluster, the creeping flush of red across her cheeks was making itself known with a vengeance amidst the storm of soft embarrassed croaks. Ignoring or unknowing of his friend's dilemna Izuku inhaled _**Lily/Happy/Safe**_ and sighed in contentment, a sound like slithering sand mixed with slightly wet crunching building from him as his form began to crumble. 

Slowing a respectable distance from the huge examinee the other teens watched with mouths agape as the creature began to shrink, its size melting as a thick black substance bubbled and sloughed off to patter against the cracked asphalt below. Like watching a time lapse of a body degrading six meters became five, five became three, and soon enough a fluffy green haired boy lay on his side with his head resting in the lap of the girl he'd been protecting. Pushing aside the feelings and thoughts crowding her head with a shake, Tsuyu quickly looked over his body searching for injuries. Despite getting effectively bitch slapped by a robot roughly three times his size the worst the girl could find was a series of scrapes along the edges of his limbs... and the fact that the remnants of his shirt had long ago given up the fight to keep him covered. Heat rose in her cheeks again as her eyes traveled across the sight of a well muscled torso, back and legs, though luckily his athletic shorts had fared much better than his late upper body garb. _"Kero Kero... Izuku-chan was always big, but I don't remember him being so... Muscley."_

Her musings were cut short but the sound of a cheerful voice yelling at all the gathered children, a pleasant masculine sound coming from a slightly mechanical source. "Everyone! Please gather and line up according to the severity of your Injuries!" Lifting her head Tsuyu watched as the others parted around a tall humanoid shape, metal clanking with each step as a display set into the face of the robot flickered on with blue lights forming a smiling face. "There is no need to be alarmed. Help is here now!" The strange robot appeared to have at one point been painted a pleasant shade of blue with white highlights, but the clear signs of age and wear had worn several spots down to the metal beneath. It appeared to have several thicker spots of armor across its body, and was bizarrely wearing an old boxing head gear that had faded with age and sported a white name tag with a sharpied in 'Pow' across the forehead. As it turned and began to motion like a traffic officer towards the entrance to the fake city, the it became clear that the drone was wearing a military ballistic vest with several pouches and a large knife sheathed on its chest. "I am Emet! Pleased to meet you all! I will assist in healing your hurts! Please make your way to the exit in an orderly fashion. Do not rush oO- **oO** r **OR I'LL TEAR YOUR LEGS OFF AND MAKE YOU WEAR THEM LIKE A HEADDRESS, YOU USELESS** _*BEEP*_ **S!** " Midway through its sentence a series of garbled noises and gibberish interrupted before a comically warbling voice angrily screamed out at the passing teens, several of them yelping as they jumped away from the expletive spouting robot with a newly angry red lit face. Immediately following the beep like a television censor the lights on his face flickered before returning to a blue smile. "Do not worry! No more harm will come to you, U.A. assures it!" Warily giving the psychotic bot a wide berth the muttering teens continued towards the main gate, while Emet continued to wave and spout happy advisories with a blue lit smile.

Tsuyu glanced down as the boy in her lap groaned and shifted, lifting his head and peering around bleerily from blinking eyes. Grumbling he immediately dropped back to lay against her thighs, his arms moving almost unconsciously to wrap around the smaller girls waist while his tail curled around his legs with a twitching tip. _**Tired/Hungry/Comfort**_ Squeaking in surprise at the bold move by the normally nervous boy, the frog quirked girl looked down in alarm and opened her mouth to ask him... before closing it slowly. Thoughtfully she watched as he breathed inwards before heaving another sigh, settling himself against her and solidifying even further the mental image of a big puppy snuggling against its person. Laughing softly she reached out to hover her finger above his head before poking it softly, getting his attention enough that his eyes blinked up at her. "Kero. Feeling tired, Izuku-chan? I'm surprised you're not more hurt, getting hit that hard..." 

"S'okay, I don't stay hurt long. Just tired, and _hungry **hungry**_." Yawning as he struggled to lift himself up off of her, still seemingly unaware of his currently intimate position. Sliding his legs up underneath him so he could sit properly, he grumbled again as one hand rubbed at his eyes. "Besides it's okay as long Lily is safe." Tsuyu tilted her head in confusion looking behind her to where she could see Uraraka sitting with her back against a large chunk of concrete, her pants leg pushed up so she could tenderly examine her ankle. 

"What? I thought her name was Uraraka Ochako, Kero. Who's Lily?" Turning back towards him the girl is startled by one of his arms reaching out and effortlessly tugging her by the waist up and onto his lap, his other arm coming down to wrap her up completely as he rests his head on top of hers while she's sitting sideways in his lap. The same rumbling from before rolled inside of the large chest she found herself pulled against, the feeling of his breathing on the top of her head evening out as he sighed happily for a third time.

" **My Lily**. Must Protect..." The sound of his voice was ridiculously happy as it trailed off and evened out, and the green haired amphibious mutant was at a complete loss of words as her brain ground to a halt. "Mmmph, hungry. Sleeping now. Wake me for food." She vaguely registered Izuku's words as he seemed to fall asleep on top of her head, but she was a bit distracted by her mind running in an endless spiral that steadily sent the color palette of her face figuratively screaming into unheard of levels of red. Unable to properly process much at the moment she missed the sounds of voices getting closer accompanied by the tap of a cane, until a hand waving in front of her eyes brought her back to reality with a startled croak.

"Easy there dearie. Everything working alright, can you hear me?" Turning her head underneath the comforting weight of her- _"NOPE! NOT GOING THERE KERO!"_ underneath Izuku's weight, Tsuyu found a small old lady in a lab coat leaning a syringe shaped cane. Tilting her head as she looked the younger woman up and down, she smiled reassuringly before speaking softly. "I'm Recovery Girl, dearie. I'm the head of medical staff at U.A. Along with this blockhead here, we keep people safe and healthy." Reaching up with her cane she swatted the side of the blue robot beside her, who merely laughed and swapped his facial design to a green colored medical cross. Returning her weapon of choice to the ground she leaned on it heavily and looked across all three remaining teens, Tsuyu noticing in passing that rest of them had cleared out by now. "Are any of you injured?"

"Um... Uh, yes. Ochako-chan hurt her leg, Kero." Lifting her hand to point at her, the brunette lifted her head on hearing her name. Smiling sheepishly she motioned to her ankle, but before she could speak the robot had kneeled beside her to begin examining the injury. Emet moved with precision and surprising gentleness as he probed the ankle, before giving a thumbs up to the elderly woman and stepping back. Shuffling forwards Recovery Girl crouched down beside Uraraka and looked closely at the darkly bruised ankle... before letting out a distinct kissing sound as he lips extended ridiculously far to press against the skin above the injury. A vibrant green glow engulfed the limb as the bruising grew lighter, from the almost black of nearly broken to the yellowed look of weeks old before disappearing completely. Slowly standing up as she tested putting weight on it, the bubbly girl gasped happily as she easily stood up with a laugh.

"Take it easy now, my quirk uses your stamina. You're gonna feel it in a second or two." Sure enough like a sugar crash the girl staggered and might have fallen if Emet hadn't reached out to steady her, supporting her weight on one arm. Nodding knowingly the old heroine reached out to hand the girl some small gummies, before she motioned to the drone before turning back to the two greenettes, one asleep and one looking only slightly less red than a ripe tomato. "Bolts here will make sure you get back to the lockers safely dearie, just tell him if anything feels off. Make sure she gets there, Emet."

"Yes Ma'am! Come along fellow traveler! We're going to find- **fin** _fi_ **F*** _Beep*_ **T** **HE SYSTEM** _ **!"**_ Throwing a jaunty salute to his supervisor the bipolar droid turned and began leading an equally concerned and amused Uraraka towards the distant gate. Shaking her head as she chuckled again, Recovery girl looked over her remaining patients. Humming thoughtfully she circled around the two teens, examining the larger male without touching him (avoiding the occasionally twitching tail) as he breathed deeply and evenly. Coming back around to the front of them she once again regarded the girl sitting in the lap of the reportedly savage transformative quirk holder, noting that besides curiosity and slight embarrassment the girl seemed unbothered by her current position. _"Either he's not nearly as fearsome as Mic made him out to be, or the girl just knows him better. Maybe a bit of both."_ She thought on it a bit longer with one hand cupping her chin... before she smiled reassuringly and spoke.

"Well It looks like the two of you are just fine dearie, with the exception of your friend hear looking like he's starving." Blinking in confusion the frog girl shifted to turn and look at the shirtless boy cradling her- _"BAD MIND! BAD, KERO KERO!"_ Shaking her head she focused and looked closer at the figure of her friend, noting with surprise that despite the lean and well defined muscles she could clearly see several prominent bones peeking through his skin. In fact it seemed that a majority of his excess body fat was completely gone, leaving the boy looking just shy of an unhealthy gauntness. Pulling a small remote from her coat pocket and pressing a button, before returning it and moving to sit on a convenient piece of rubble nearby. "Well now, some stretcher bots are on the way. While we're waiting and the poor boy gets some rest, why don't you tell me about his quirk? Mutant quirks are notoriously tricky to properly treat without information, and a transformation one on top of that is like like adding ketchup to washer detergent. Messy, and doesn't really work." Blinking in confusion and some amusement, Tsuyu settled back into the comfortable _"Kero... Fine, I'll admit it's comfy."_ embrace and began to relay what she knew about her savior.

_-Thirty five minutes later, Midoriya Apartment-_

Bustling about the apartment in an attempt to keep busy, Midoriya Inko hummed to herself as she prepared her son's favorite meal. Cooking had always been a haven for the single mother, and with a son that ate as much as Izuku did she'd had plenty of practice doing it. Between stressing in her attempts to raise a child by herself, the weight of seeing her son force himself into a box to try and fit in, and busting her back to make it as a lawyer, she'd gained a decent amount of weight over the years. While she no longer had the slim figure of her youth, Inko couldn't help but feel better than she had in years. The fire in her Izuku's eyes was lit again and he was happier than she thinks she'd ever seen him... Everything else seemed so small in comparison, so unimportant. Over the last months she'd occasionally come with her son to watch over his training, finding the violence to be slightly off-putting but throwing her support behind her boy as she watched him grow.

Humming in tune with the radio as it spewed out some catchy pop tune, she thought about one of the other reasons she was thinking about getting fit again. Thoughts of black and white and a deep voice wandered through her head as she contemplated the offer he'd made her the last time she'd attended one of the training stints. _"I know he was probably just being nice, but would he really take time out of his hero schedule to go running with me? Oh Inko, don't get your hopes up woman."_ Try as she might no amount of downplaying it would dim the trembling excitement and hope in her heart. _"Wow, it's been a long time since I felt like this. What am I, a blushing schoolgirl?"_ Pausing as she dumps some diced vegetables into a bowl she stares blankly at the wall for a few moments, before nodding decisively and setting the knife down on the cutting board. Wiping her hands she moved over to grab her phone from its place on the counter, intent on calling him up to accept his-

Only to yelp as the phone started ringing as her fingers closed around it, juggling the device several times before it tumbled towards the floor before she manages to halt it with her quirk. Moving to sit at the table as she pulls it into her grip, she clears her throat before answering and putting it to her ear. "Hello! Midoriya Inko speaking."

" _Good Afternoon, Midoriya-san. My name is Nemuri Kayama. I'm an Instructor at UA high school. I'm calling to let you know that your son, Midoriya Izuku was injured during our entrance exam and-"_

Listening to the voice on the other end, her eyes go from the excitement and hope of her daydreams to much more real worry. "What? What do you mean my baby is hurt? Where is he?!?" Clutching the phone tightly as she interrupted the female speaking, she resisted the urge to rush out the door and go immediately to her son. The sound of a polite cough brought her attention back to the phone as this Nemuri continued.

" _As I was saying, Your son was injured during our exam, and he's currently resting here in the nurses' clinic. He seems to be in perfect health, and his injuries weren't life threatening it seemed. We wanted to-"_ Before the R+ rated hero could continue she found herself cut off again, holding the phone from her ear at the frantic volume of the mother. 

"Not life threatening?? That means he was hurt badly?!?" Standing up the green haired woman moved to collect her purse and keys, fully intent on driving herself to the school immediately. "Your school promised in the paperwork to ensure the safety of anybody that took the exam, and your students if they passed. How did he get so hurt that you had to call me like this??" The poorly hidden sound of an exasperated sigh from the woman she was speaking to immediately caused a flash of anger to slide through her, though she worked to control it as best she could. After all it wouldn't help Izuku if she were to flip out just because the school was rude-

 _"Midoriya-san, please calm down. Your son survived one of the bots going out of our control and trying to flatten him, and even saved some of the other examinees to boot. I think all things considered we got extremely lucky he's so resilient."_ Pinching her brow Midnight tried to fight back the headache from the tons of written exams she had been grading before being asked (See, told) to make this call, and the fact she'd been up late trawling bars for potential dates didn't really help her mental acuity. In fact it wasn't until nearly a minute of loaded silence passed that she opened her eyes to look across the desk at where Present Mic was... staring at her. His glasses tilted down revealed his horrified eyes, and the lack of color in his face sent a jolt of adrenaline to her system as she realized just how poorly she'd relayed the situation. To say that the voice the came back across the line was angry, was to say that standing on a volcano that was about to erupt was dangerous.

"I'm sorry... Would you mind repeating that?" Midnight gulped as she shakily watched Present Mic make a quick gesture of prayer for the recently departed before standing up, presumably to go find Nezu and inform him of the potential hellstorm brewing outside their walls.

_-Three minutes of frigidly pissed mother later-_

Gang Orca looked up as his phone rang with a familiar song, smiling at the happy tune he'd set as her tone on a whim. Quickly dropping the expression in case one of his sidekicks walked in, he pulled the device up to one ear as he answered it.

"Inko-san, What can I do for you today?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angry parental figures are coming in hot, and a hungover Midnight is not a happy camper. (No Midnight hate, just needed a fall hero(ine) and she was the best candidate.) XD  
> So yeah, Looks like a couple of things happened here! Emet showed up! Izuku's tongue slipped up in his hungry torpor! Tsuyu is seriously considering an Ice bath! :D Also important... Officially added the Midoriya Inko/Sakamata Kuugo | Gang Orca tag! After doing a search, I've also discovered that this is officially the first instance of this pairing that I can find on Ao3! We're pioneering a ship, Ducklings! Look at us, We are the captains now!  
> Hope you all liked it, and I'll see you next time for when the green bean wakes up!


	22. Chapter 22: Goliath Izuku AU Q&A! (Also delayed chapter, sorry!)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An open season Q&A, with the only limits being that I will try my utmost not to spoil anything major in my story.

Hey my ducklings! That's right, I'm here with my hat in my hand again to tell you the post this week is being put off til next. >_< I'm wrapping up the next class in my course and just haven't had time to edit what was going to be chapter 22 up to an acceptable standard. But! Instead of just leaving you all with an I'm sorry this is delayed message, Let's have another audience participation! It's Q&A Time! Ask away any questions your inquisitive minds can come up with! Ask about Goliath Izuku! Ask about Scalptor and his origins! Ask about Slim, Emet, or any of the other Evolve references you've seen! Ask something that completely blows my mind because I haven't thought about it! I'll answer pretty much anything, with the only exception being things that would directly spoil story points or major events. :) Heck, you can even ask about directions the fic might take, or if I'm planning on adding any sm-.... :3 well, you get the Idea. So I'm sorry about the delay, but hopefully this partially makes up for it. ^_^ I'll answer your questions as soon as I can, and guess what? This chapter will not be deleted like other Delayed notices. This means that any future readers are free to leave questions too! Return to posting every Saturday or Sunday by next week! :D

Wish me luck with making fake wounds for class grades everybody. Until next time this is 3wolves. Plus Ultra, Ao3!


	23. Chapter 23: Hungry like the... Frog?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku wakes up after the exam, Refueling in progress, and Inko brings down the figurative hammer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's late. Nothing clever this time, back at U.A. with our green pair. :)

**Chapter 23: Hungry like the... Frog?**

It might be considered somewhat worrying that Izuku had enough experience to differentiate between different kind of unconsciousness at this point in his life, though he could at least thank his lucky stars he didn't seem hurt enough for this to be a pain knockout. But he really wished he wasn't apparently stuck in his quirk's mindscape staring at the physical manifestation of his literal inner beast, who seemed content to just stare right back while lounging on its side in a classic relaxation pose. One huge paw propped its head up and balanced on an elbow, while behind the saurian biped the clubbed tail swayed up and down lazily. For his part the greenette was sitting on top of a conveniently placed rock formation that put him roughly at eye level with the monster, and he couldn't help but question his psyche's choice of clothing. "... Why am I dressed only in my custom athletic shorts?" 

Hearing a snort Izuku looked up to see the monster- _"Goliath, his name is Goliath."_ begin to scratch its belly with a free clawed hand, the glowing red and orange eyes disappearing as it blinked at the human. Despite the lack of expression on its alien face, the boy was somehow certain that his supposed alter-ego was amused. "Ha Ha, laugh it up lizard face. Not like you ever need to worry about social expectations or clothing issues." The huff he got in response was dismissive, though Goliath seemed to be in agreement. "Glad you see it my way. Now how about we wake up and see what's going on?" The only response he got was a deadpan stare from his monstrous companion before it grunted and closed its eyes, prompting Izuku to throw his hands up in exasperation and drop them to his legs with a slap. "Fine! Guess we'll stay here and play twenty questions!"

_**Safe/Hungry/Rest**_ His head shot up at the familiar rush of emotions, feelings, and sensations from his quirk that his brain automatically translated into discernible words. "Okay, but how can we eat if we're asleep? Doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose?" Grumbling was his response, along with another _**Danger/Hunger/Lily**_ surge of confusing emotions. "Why is Lily- I mean, Tsu-chan in danger? Did we not stop the robots??" Lurching to his feet the boy looked around in panic, as if he could somehow force himself back to the world of the waking with his willpower alone. "Then let's go! We can't be sleeping if she's in danger! We gotta-WHA?!" 

_WHUMPF_

With a squawk Izuku was knocked off his feet onto his back, hitting the solid stone beneath him with an audible smack. Groaning slightly as he struggled into a sitting position he could see where Goliath's hand was retracting back to its side, the tail wagging back and forth as it chuffed reprovingly in his direction. _**Concern/Hunger/Rest/Dormant**_ Frowning as he reached up to brush mental dirt off his bare shoulders with a gentle scrape, he tried to make sense of the influx of information. "... Okay, so we're resting because we're too hungry? I guess I already knew that my quirk used the stuff I eat as fuel, so it makes sense that If I use too much I'd need to find something to eat quickly, but at least I have some sort of fail-safe in case I-" His voice quickly trailed off into one of his mutterstorms, his tail flicking in unconscious time with the larger creature opposite him. Goliath merely snorted and curled up beside the rock as two figures settled in to wait, and one unconscious body slumbered on.

_-x-_

Tsuyu sighed as she shifted in the surprisingly comfortable folding chair of the U.A. Infirmary, light from the slowly setting sun slanting through the window at an angle across curled figure of her friend in one of the beds. Glancing up from the screen of her phone she reconfirmed that Izuku was still asleep, as he had been since he'd left the exam site suspended between two of the industrious little medic bots over an hour ago. She croaked softly in amusement at the memory of the apparent strain in their tinny voices as they struggled to lift the large boy, eventually managing it and trundling back towards their home in the infirmary at a steady pace. _"I'm lucky they were moving so slow, Kero. Izuku-chan might have accidentally yanked me off my feet otherwise."_ The frog girl had managed to extricate herself from the gentle giant's embrace without much issue, but had quickly found one of his hands adamantly attached to hers and pulling her along beside the stretcher (Much to the amusement of the elderly nurse accompanying them.)

Thinking of the devil seemed to call her grey haired visage through the door to the infirmary, the pro-heroine shuffling over to her chair before hopping up and seating herself with a huff as Tsuyu watched. Sighing in relief she spun around to face the two teens, holding up a couple papers with a rustle as she spoke. "Well dearies, nothing but good news this time. Your friend here is just resting, nothing really wrong with him in the traditional sense." Flicking through the sheets the woman grumbled to herself before continuing. "Only things of note would be his unusually low blood sugars, physical signs of malnutrition, and a slower heartbeat than I would consider healthy. But based on what you've told me and cross referencing the quirk registry, I don't think he's in danger." Tsuyu couldn't help but tilt her head and try to bring her finger up to rest against the corner of her mouth, blushing only slightly when the grip of her snoozing friend kept the appendage in place. 

"Kero Kero. Wouldn't those be things to be worried about? He looks like he hasn't eaten in a week." It certainly looked that way from an outside perspective as Izuku's musculature had been reduced to a lean thin layer that looked just shy of unhealthy, while the bones were more prominent across his cheeks, torso, and arms. Humming as she set the papers aside Recovery Girl took a moment to answer, tapping her cane against the floor thoughtfully. 

"Normally that would be the case, but a preliminary examination shows that his system has gone into a sort of hibernation. His metabolism has slowed along with his heart rate to help his body conserve its remaining energy." Pushing herself to roll across the floor in her chair, she reached out to gently check the boy's pulse as she continued to explain. "As far as I can tell from his registry and what you've told me about it, this is a form of Quirk exhaustion. Instead of throwing up, headaches, or any other form of physical response his body shuts down into this torpor." The frog girl blinked as she considered the influx of information from the nurse, turning to watch the sleeping boy's becalmed expressions and croaking softly to herself.

"... So how do we wake him up, Kero? If he's asleep to conserve energy do we just have to wait until he has enough to come back?" Turning back to answer with a harrumph, Recovery girl's response was suddenly cut off with a polite but firm series of knocks on the Infirmary door. At her loud 'Come in' the portal opened at the gentle push of the large figure behind it, Tsuyu's eyes widening minutely in visible surprise at the sight of a tall hero she knew quite well.

"I believe I might be able to answer that, Asui." Gang Orca's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled at the teen, closing the door behind him after maneuvering his bulk through it. Dressed in his on-duty regalia minus his signature cloak, the hero moved over to set a somewhat large sealed tote bag onto the floor before straightening back up. "But first I'd like to say its good to see you again, especially under better circumstances." Tsuyu just nodded in return as she found her tongue somewhat tied, managing out a steady greeting between the curiosity and confusion at his presence.

"Hello again, Gang Orca. What are you doing her, Kero?" Sakamata chuckled and reached up to scratch the side of his neck with one finger, amusement and slight embarrassment coloring his response's tone. 

"Well, I _am_ Midoriya's mentor after all. I assumed he'd told you about me, and the various 'Backbreaking labors of training' I put him through over the last few months." He huffed before continuing drolly, taking a knee to start fiddling with the container he'd brought. "To give the kid credit though, He put us through the wringer in equal measure. Which leads us to the potential solution in his current situation." The sound of a zipper running along the corner of the box shaped bag was followed by the surging scent of takeout noodles filling the room with delicious smells. Pushing the bag closer to the edge of the bed, the orca hero quickly stepped back and motioned for the others to do the same. "You might want to move away. He gets a little cranky when he's hungry." 

Before Tsuyu could do more than tilt her head in confusion the sound of several deep sniffs from beside her drew her gaze to the sleeping boy, whose nose was wiggling in a _"cute"_ way with every inhale matched only by his wagging tail. With a speed that shocked both women the boy's eyes shot open as he sat up, red eyes like hot metal roaming across the room quickly before locking onto the bag holding boxes of food with unconstrained hunger. Darting forward the teen's long arms snatched the tote full of takeout up off the ground and against his chest and growled in warning towards Gang Orca, who simply held his hands up palms outwards with a disarming smile. Reaching into the bag he snatched up the small white container and sniffed it hungrily... before opening his mouth wide and plopping the entire thing into his enlarged mouth and chomping down with a crunch and proceeding to chew furiously.

"Never been quite this bad, but he's overdrawn on his quirk during training in the past. Most of the time he'd simply seek out the nearest snack available, but when he lost control of his quirk was usually when he gorged himself." Gang Orca had continued to explain the situation to the room while his protege feasted, but Tsuyu could only watch with a sort of morbid fascination as Izuku began eating his way through the admittedly large amount of cheap food. Internally she could feel as her quirk struggled against the desire to either run or sit very still as the predator beside her satisfied his hunger, but when she moved to try and slowly scoot away from the bedside and out of the 'danger zone' a more urgent need of her own was made apparent. Everyone in the room froze as a loud growl rolled through the room, and all eyes turned to look at the Frog quirk user that was quickly reddening while her stomach declared her own peckishness.

A huff from beside her caught her attention and drew her gaze, finding herself face to face with the still red eyes of the monster quirked boy less than a foot away and sniffing at her curiously. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Gang Orca stepping forward with arms raised, muscles tensed as if ready to lunge and interpose himself between them at a moment's notice. Leaning closer to her the teen sniffed deeply at her with a growl and every iota of common sense in her brain tried to tell her she was in danger. _"Kero. Kero. Kero... but then why do I only feel safe?"_ With a sudden snort Izuku turned back towards the food to rummage in the bag, causing everyone else in the room to relax and untense in relief. Exhaling slowly the girl tried again to move away only to be stopped yet again, this time by one of the large grey hide hands moving to press something into her hands. Automatically she opened them to receive the item, finding herself holding one of the white takeout boxes that smelled so enticing.

Izuku chuffed in a pleased manner before turning to continue stuffing his face with the other boxes, leaving Tsuyu staring bewildered at the food in her hand and looking to the hero in the room. With arms crossed the pro was looking quite surprised, though perhaps happy and a bit smug. "Well, That's a first. He almost took Slim's head off when he got in between the boy and the steak we got him once." Tsuyu just blinked once, twice... then promptly leaned forward to reach into the bag and pull out one of the sets of chopsticks, nudging the larger boy out of the way when he grumbled at her before opening the box and starting to eat beside him. She focused on scooping up the noodles and ignoring the two amused adults in the room, trying her best not to blush as she felt a tail curl halfway around her waist. _"I've decided that I'm just going to put off thinking about today until later, Kero. Izuku, Nicknames, Feelings, and Quirks. Kero, My friend is weird."_ She began to slurp up the noodles happily, feeding the hunger she hadn't even known was there.

_"...... how did he know I liked the sweet and sour noodles?"_

_-x-_

Somewhere else in the school... Two figurative monoliths stared at each other across the barren battlefield of a desk. The two witnesses present could only struggle to breathe in the oppressive atmosphere, gulping as the unbroken gaze of two very intimidating individuals approached nearly five minutes in silence. Principal Nezu of the U.A. Hero School sat opposite Midoriya Inko, who he knew to be not just an angry mother or a lawyer, but both. Despite his quirk giving him levels of intelligence that ran circles around most humans, the chimera found himself struggling to keep the fur across the back of his neck from ruffling up in trepidation. He'd faced off against super villains, corrupt politicians, and heroes with an ego large enough to dwarf his school, but not a single one of those opponents had managed the sheer level of pressure the woman in front of him was exuding from her veneer of collected calm. Thus he took the course of action least likely to end with the metaphorical death of one of the contenders, and looked away first while clearing his throat. "Misses Midoriya, I'd like-"

"Miss." With a single word Inko managed to wrest any hope of control over the conversation firmly into her court, a polite smile crossing her face as she folded her hands (Noticing quite clearly the flinch from the exotically clad woman against the wall). "I believe we can probably move past the obvious pleasantries here and straight to the issue at hand, Principal Nezu." Leaning forward she reached for the glass of water they'd offered her on her arrival, taking a slow sip before reaching down and picking up a dainty briefcase from beside her chair. Bringing it up in front of her, she set it on the desk with a very careful and delicate click before smiling again. "So why don't we start with why I don't sue your school into oblivion."

Clearing his throat and straightening his tie, Nezu tried to reclaim his stride. "Well, for starters I think we should clarify exactly what grounds you would be-" The thump of a stack of papers landing on his desk cut him off, his eyes quickly glancing over the cover paper recognizing his own seal on the documents as the woman spoke up.

"The packet you sent to every examinee's parents or guardians, In which its very explicitly stated that you and your school take full responsibility for ensuring the safety of every prospective student while they're present at your exam. Furthermore, you even were so kind as to add in a couple of sections on the code of conduct of not only students, but the staff at your institution as well." Her green eyes flicked over to the woman again before settling back. "Even ignoring the inappropriate and quite frankly rude manner in which I was informed that my son was injured in your exam, it doesn't excuse the fact that by your staff's words he was 'injured enough to be fatal to a normal kid'." A smile that held no warmth fixed itself onto her face as she stared down one of the most powerful figures in Japan without blinking. "Before you bring up the issues of costs and effort such a high-profile law suit would entail, not only do I have my own Law firm but I have the full backing of the Orca Hero Agency in this matter, and the personal assurance of Gang Orca that he'll support my case." 

Nezu leaned back into his custom made chair, bringing his paws up to tap his digits together thoughtfully while his quirk ran overtime. As the seconds ticked by both Present Mic and Midnight grew steadily more concerned, the dark haired beauty morosely beginning to draft up her resignation letter in her mind... before a soft chuckle broke the silence. Looking up with a smile Nezu brought his paw up, tail perking up and waving behind him. "Well, you've got us by the tail it would seem, Miss Midoriya. Every single course of action I can come up with that leads to a lawsuit will end only in blood, sweat, and tears for all involved. So now that we've established your position of power..." The principal reached out to snag the cup of tea off the small saucer and took a sip, his eyes twinkling from his furry face. "Why don't _you_ tell us why you don't _want_ to sue us into oblivion? The fact that you're here instead of throwing the book at us gives away this isn't just a courtesy visit."

"... You're right." With her admission the tension in the room was broken, all parties relaxing with various levels of relief or acceptance. Inko sighed and brought her hands up to rub at her face tiredly, pinching the bridge of her nose. "To be a hero is the only thing my baby boy has dreamed of for the longest time, and with his dream so recently rekindled I don't really want to start a legal fight with his hopeful school of choice." Grabbing the stack of papers from the desk she started to replace them into the briefcase. "So instead of threatening you, I just want to know what you're going to do about this gross breach of safety, and how you're going to make sure something like it never happens again. What assurances can you give me to trust my child here?" 

"Well, as it just so happens..." Hopping down from the desk Nezu wandered over to a large filing cabinet, hopping up onto a rung on the side as he slid the shelf open and rummaged for something amongst the files. "A project was being considered for our school, something to give the students a better learning experience while keeping them safe. While I can't give you the full details on why, I can safely say that we'll be moving forward with this plan." Finding what he was looking for he slid the folder out and under his arm, using one hind paw to shut the drawer before scampering back up onto his throne. Sliding the item across the desk, he couldn't help but laugh merrily in a way that made both of his subordinates shiver. "I think you'll find this should help cover most of your concerns." Inko reached out to pick up the green file, reading the front as a thoughtful look formed across her face.

_U.A. Heights Alliance Dorm System Proposal_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A Muse, A Muse! My kingdom for a Muse!  
> Well, more specifically my muse. She seems to be missing, as the fog of my brain grows stronger in this quarantine. Not sure how i feel about the quality here, but... Eh, enough about my b*tching though, I hope you all liked the chapter! :D Next time, we'll be meeting someone new! Until then, Comment away and stay safe/sane ya'll!


	24. Chapter 24: Meeting the Folks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku comes to, The crew leaves U.A., Families are met and introduced, Protective Father Instincts are activated

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Late again, no excuses. Life's getting pretty fucky over here, Ducklings. I'm staying afloat the best I can, and still working on this story. Because I love the feeling of knowing you're all having fun here. : )  
> There's not a lot on a certain character in this chapter that I can find, but I hope you like my spin on 'em!

**Chapter 24: Meeting the Folks**

The infirmary could usually be counted on to be a place of peace and quiet, somewhere that the wounded could find their rest withiut interruption. Not this time though as the rolling laughter of the occupants was joined with what could only be described as a mixed groan and whine of embarrassment, originating from the teen currently hiding under one of the bedsheets. Izuku whined again as his cheeks did their best to combust in the mortification that quickly overtook him, trying and failing not to run over his return to consciousness again...

Not too long after Tsuyu had finished the food she'd been given, everyone in the room had noticed as Izuku's fierce devouring of pasta stuttered and then ground to a stop. His head had come up as his eyes slowly faded from the faintly glowing red of his monstrous quirk back into the normal green of his humanity, and the boy blinked owlishly with one hand gripping a box and the other in the process of shoveling noodles into his maw. To top it off a tug on his tail drew attention to the fact that his girl friend, with a space in the middle, was seated comfortably beside him on the bed with his tail wrapped snugly around her waist to keep her there. What followed was a visible reboot sequence of Izuku's mind and his expressions cycling through confusion, understanding, horror, and embarrassment in the span of three seconds. 

With a strangled yelp the boy had attempted to leap backwards towards the other side of the bed, completely forgetting his grip on Tsuyu until she was yanked along with a yelp of surprise. A reflexive attempt to prioritize catching her over himself led directly to the edge of the bed, followed by a tumble and a thud as the entire contraption tilted onto its side under the weight of both teens and flinging the mostly empty food tote across the room. The flurry of motion and flailing limbs finally settled with the larger boy laying on the floor groaning, and the girl blinking as she once again found herself safely tucked against his chest. Their eyes met as there was a muffled snort from across the room... and both of the professional heroes began laughing at the absurdity of the situation, Gang Orca's chuckles a bass backdrop to Recovery Girl's enthusiastic cackles. Tsuyu blinked and croaked softly in surprise as she was quickly lifted up by the arms holding her, gently setting her onto the next bed over that was still thankfully upright. She watched as a now blank faced Izuku reached over to grasp the sheet from the overturned cot, before promptly flinging it over himself and hid away with a whine that had her joining the laughter with her soft giggles. 

Now Izuku just grumbled again as he attempted to smother his embarrassment over his reaction beneath the fabric of the sheet, his hands covering his face while his tail curled up against his chest. _"Great. Not only do I blackout after pummeling a giant robot, I scared everyone else, and used my best **Lily/Happy** friend as a teddy bear. Now I wake back up snarfing down noodles and my quirk must have done something weird again by keeping Tsu-chan beside me. **Comfort/Happy/Hunger** "_ The laughter had subsided somewhat from outside his cloth sanctuary, and he moved his hand just enough to get a scent-picture of the room with a cautious sniff before speaking. "... How l-long have I been out?" 

"You were asleep for a little under an hour. Assuming you weren't fully conscious when you started eating-" The old lady's voice that he vaguely remembered from the blurry end of the exam reached him from under his shield, the sound of a cane tapping the floor matching up with the approaching white outline of the woman in his scent-sight. "Then we can round it to you've been out for an hour. What do you remember, sonny?" The nurse had arrived beside the clump of bed sheet, some well placed pokes with the tip of her cane causing the boy to grumble and extend an arm for her to take his pulse.

"I can remember m-most of the exam, right up until the zero pointer went on a rampage. Then things start getting a little bit fuzzy." Calming down with the reassuring normality of the checkup he managed to sit up and pop his head out of his impromptu robe, trying to ignore the muffled giggles from the other two mutants in the room when his hair floofed back up from where it had been pressed down. "Last thing I remember was punching it, then I- um... I'm not sure." While he wasn't being entirely truthful about his memory, he still found some of the finer details escaped him. "I just remember being hungry, then hearing Tsu-chan calling out to me." At her look he motioned towards the green haired girl beside him, who was in the process of picking up the empty boxes from the floor and passing them towards the black and white orca to toss. "After that is just a blur then I was talking with my quirk, and next thing I knew I woke up here." Recovery Girl hummed as she pulled a small penlight up to check his eyes before clicking it off, shuffling towards her desk where she consulted a sheaf of papers.

"Well you seem to be fine physically. You've put back on the weight your quirk apparently burned through." Izuku blinked and looked down at himself curiously to take in the surprisingly loose grey workout shirt (when had they gotten him into another one?), and rolled his arm around as he felt the slight slithering feeling of his body rebuilding itself. The sound of the papers rustling caught his attention again, glancing up to watch her purse her lips thoughtfully and hum. "It says here that your registered quirk 'Monstrous Evolution' is a Mutant/Transformation quirk, but it doesn't say anything about being able to talk to it. Is that a new development?" The boy squinted in visible confusion for a few moments while he thought how long it had been since he'd gotten his registry changed, flashes of memory surfacing with the fading echoes of a victorious roar and a name as a smile broke out across his face. _**Pride**_

"... Pretty sure that its out of date. I'll get it updated as soon as I can." Izuku sat up straighter, back cracking while turned to look at the bed he'd overturned. Grumbling he hopped up to his feet and gripped the frame, flipping it back right side up without issue before tossing the sheet back onto it and smoothing it out. The sound of a creaking spring and footsteps drew his gaze to the side, just in time for a strategically placed finger to poke him in the cheek. The boy squeaked and hopped away from the blase expressioned _**Happy-Lily/Amused**_ Tsuyu beside him, somehow able to read far more emotion than his eyes could see. She giggled softly as he stammered and stuttered for a second before clearing his throat, dropping his head to rub the back of his hair embarassedly. "T-Tsu-chan! Sorry about th-the end of the exam. I must have scared yo-" The return of the finger cut him off with a strategic boop to his lips, a noise of surprise followed by his friend tilting her head and letting a smile break through her mask. 

".... Thanks for saving us, Izuku-chan. Kero." Without giving him a chance to respond the girl took a step forward to wrap her arms around him, pulling him into an unsurprisingly strong hug. While his brain misfired like a faulty firework his body reacted on instinct, both arms coming down to wrap around her back while his tail curved around her legs to tug her closer. An almost imperceptible shiver ran through her body as she tightened her grip, an inaudible to normal ears quiver in her voice as she spoke softly. "Kero... I thought you were dead when you got hit. I wasn't ever scared of you, or your quirk. I was just scared that you wouldn't get back up, Kero _Kero_." The hitch in her last croak hinted at a storm beneath her surface _**Protect!**_ , and neither Izuku nor his quirk had any interest in letting it grow. 

Bringing his head down to rest on top of hers Izuku followed his instincts urging, letting out a rolling rumble deep in his chest that filled the room and covered the sound of the door opening. One of his large hands came up to her head, running his fingers across her hair in a soothing motion while his eyes half closed with flickers of red around the edges. "Don't worry _**Lily**_ Li-" He coughed mid sentence, choking off the word before continuing. "T-tsu-chan. I'm not going anywhere. I promise, I'm always gonna get back up. No **matter** what." The feeling of his hand running down the back of her head feeling absolutely heavenly to her, Tsuyu unconsciously melted against his chest as her animal side pushed forward with a deeper croaking. Both teens had come close to losing a friend that day and despite being super powered children, in the end they were still children who'd been through a potentially traumatic experience. The not so silent comfort and reassurance of their touches and voices were a balm on the ragged edges of worry and stress, and if but for a moment they both were content.

So intent on comforting and being comforted by one another were they, that the sound of a cell phone camera shutter cutting across their vocalizations startled them into looking up in shock. The sight that greeted them was of a green haired matron practically vibrating in place, holding both hands over her mouth in an effort to stem what looked like either a sob of joy or a squeal of glee at the sight of her boy. Beside her stood a decidedly grinning cetacean hero holding up a cell phone, taking another picture even as they turned to look. Izuku took one look at his mother leaking tears and the scent of relief, happiness, and mischief... and did the most reasonable thing. He bodily picked Tsuyu up by the waist and set her ninety degrees to the side, took a step towards his mother with arms open _**Resignation**_ , and braced for impact.

_-x-_

The sun was well on its way to setting by the time Izuku managed to calm down his mother and defuse the excitement over the woman finally meeting his friend, and the group of four stepped outside the gates of U.A. Highschool. Izuku was once again wearing his uniform jacket open in the front, with his yellow backpack slung over a shoulder carrying his exam supplies. To one side sauntered Gang Orca discussing something about 'necessary actions to take' with his mother, and walking close beside was the hunched form of Tsuyu as she thumbed away at her phone screen. Yawning mightily the armored male blinked in the dying light, turning to listen as Gang Orca addressed the girl. "It's starting to get late. Do you need a ride to the station, Asui? I can take you straight home if that would be easier." Tsuyu looked up at being addressed blinking a couple times before opening her mouth to answer.

"Kero. That's okay, I already called my ride." When she got looks of curiosity she pointed ahead of them towards the parking lot, where they noticed a smaller blue car parked near the hero's SUV. As if responding to her pointing it out one of the back doors popped open, two small shapes hopping down to dart across the asphalt towards the group with surprising speed. Tsuyu just barely managed to get her phone back into her pocket before two adorable green haired missiles impacted her waist and legs, staggering backwards with a chuckle as they shouted.

"Tsuyu-Nee!/Tsu-Neechan!" The two grade schoolers grinned up at her excitedly, talking over each other in their eagerness to address their big sister. The little boy wore his hair long in the bangs, covering his right eye above cheeks that sported prominent blush marks."We heard you got hurt, Karro!" Beside him clinging to the older frog girl's leg, a small female wearing hair in two looped pigtails like her sister looked up curiously. "Guro, Papa said you got ouchies from metal meanies!" If their appearances hadn't given it away, the similar but different croaking sounds incorporated into their speech immediately screamed family. Croaking happily as she kneeled to wrap them both up in a hug, Tsuyu responded easily with just a hint of teasing in her tone. 

"I'm alright now Samidare, Kero. Yes, the metal meanies tried to smack me and my friend, Satsuki. Kero, But my other friend here kept us safe." Motioning with her head towards the boy standing beside her watching on, both children turned to stare up at him with wide blank eyes. Izuku smiled nervously as the silence stretched on for several seconds, his tail twitching back and forth under their scrutiny. _"Why do I suddenly feel like tasty rabbit in front of a wolf. **Nervous/Amused/Concern** Or a fly in front of a... ah."_ As if his mental face palm was the unspoken signal, both of the siblings burst forward eagerly towards the startled teen.

"Wow! You're really big nii-san, Guro! Do you eat bugs too?" The girl shamelessly hopped up to hang off of his right arm, looking up at him with a cute face and unfiltered curiosity. Startled by her eager greeting the boy focusing on not flailing his arm around failed to notice the other sibling dart around behind him, until with a strong hop the younger male was perched on his back supporting his weight with both arms across Izuku's left shoulder and laughing. "You're taller than father! Karro, How did you get so big? What kind of Animal are you? Do you like Video games? Karro!" Samidare kicked his legs as he hung off the monstrous moving jungle gym that the U.A. hopeful had become. Yelping as he was assaulted by the curious playmates Izuku tried to stutter his way through the questions, tail unconsciously wagging even as he tried to keep up with the rapid fire inquisition.

Inko, Sakamata, and Tsuyu were all laughing in various states of mirth at the state of the boy, Gang Orca taking the opportunity to snap a couple more pictures with his camera (an agreement he'd made with Inko halfway through training her son to take pictures whenever he thought they'd be good or cute, especially embarrassing ones.) The sound of footsteps approaching registered to the hero, and he turned to find another frog quirked man moving to stand beside them and chuckle with a much more guttural croak. "Garrok. Sorry 'bout the young 'uns. Still haven' taught em much in the way of manners." Standing just under six feet was a tall, stocky, middle-aged man with black, short-cropped hair and black eyes. He was wearing a plain business suit with a blue-dotted tie, and even more so than the other three amphibious quirk holders nearby this man portayed as very frog-like appearing to have the head of a brown toad. Blinking and reaching out his hand to shake, he introduced himself to the pro-hero. "Asui Ganma. I'm Tsuyu's father, and the watcher of these little devil spawn, Grrk." 

Amused at both the antics and the description of the kids, Sakamata shook his hand easily while noting the deceptively strong grip in the man's hands. Despite his outwards appearance though, internally his mind was working over something that bugged him. As Ganma moved on to greeting Inko he watched him closely, memories of a past case teasing at his mind the more details he took in of him. The man brought one hand up to rub the back of his head and smile at something Inko said about his kids, and in that motion the tug of his sleeve up his arm revealed the outline of a faded tattoo. Red eyes widened minutely before returning to normal, a thoughtful hum running through his chest as he clicked softly. _"I had always wondered what happened to them and their leader. It makes sense now, why the closed files were so light on details."_ Turning to look over towards his protege, Gang Orca's stoic facade cracked with a poorly disguised snort of laughter at the sight of the frog-children effortlessly twisting him in figurative circles, laughing the whole time. 

Meanwhile Izuku had managed to keep up with the terrors enough that he wasn't stumbling over most of his answers, starting to enjoy himself as he interacted with the two adorable children. "No, I don't shoot lasers from my eyes. That'd be a cool quirk though." Out of the corner of his eye he could see Tsuyu watching them, a small but sincere smile practically lighting up her face _**Beautiful**_ _"BAD IZUKU BAD QUIRK"_ as he handled entertaining her siblings. Of course in the way of the universe, Satsuki decided to set fire to his train of thought with a simple question.

"Are you Tsuyu-Neechan's Boyfriend?" The innocent inquiry derailed him spectacularly, his words choking up in his throat as he struggled to process even the thought of that. Almost instinctively his eyes darted back over towards his best friend, meeting her widened blacks above a suddenly not smiling face. The faintest hint of a blush bloomed beneath her cheeks as the seconds of eye contact counted up, and unbeknownst to each other their thoughts perfectly parroted the others. _"Um... I might_ _**Want** that/I think I want that, Kero." _Satuski just tilted her head in an adorable mimicry of her older sister, little imaginary question marks appearing above her head. The sound of a cleared throat broke the awkward stare off, Izuku's head whipping around to stare at the new mutant in the mix. _"How did I miss him walking up?"_

"I think that's enough bothering Izuku-san, It's getting about time to head home for us all. Run back to the car now kids, _Garrok_. Make it snappy, and we'll pick up Jelly treats on the way." Clearly it was the magic word as the two small figures practically blurred off his back, pausing only long enough to wave back at him before hurtling towards the vehicle. Chuckling the frog patriarch motioned towards his other daughter, giving her another moment or two as he said his goodbyes to the other adults. Croaking softly as she put her head back on straight, Tsuyu stepped over towards the taller boy and hugged him again. Still a bit shell shocked by the whiplash of subjects Izuku had enough presence of mind to hug her back, rallying long enough to focus on enjoying the feeling of hugging his _~~cute~~_ friend. Of course she put that back into disarray with her next move, pushing herself up onto her toes to plant a soft peck onto his cheek before pulling away. 

"Thanks again, Izuku-chan. For saving... _Lily,_ Kero." Tsuyu watched the boy's face closely as she dropped the name, putting her suspicions and theories to the test as the emotions unfolded across his features. First came the pause followed by shock. Immediately after she witnessed as an almost painful red crept up from his neck to suffuse his face, almost a full minute of him clearly freaking out internally as realizations were made and connected with memories. It took all she had to not giggle out loud when he refused to meet her eyes, something like guilt and shame creeping through his face before she deliberately cleared her throat to draw his attention. 

Izuku was freaking out, plain and simple. His mind was working overtime on tidal waves of embarrassment and worry, while his quirk was oddly silent on the matter. _"Oh no, oh no, ohnoohno! I ruined it, I messed it up, everything is ruined. I've gone and ruined the best friendship I had since Ka- Bakugo, and now she's going to hate me, she's going to be freaked out because i couldn't keep my quirk in check, IdontwanttolosemyfriendagainI'msorry-"_ He flinched when she cleared her throat, struggling to bite back a whine as he slowly lifted his gaze to see her expression of.... not hatred?

Instead he watched his _**My Lily**_ best friend slowly smile with a faint blush on her cheeks, her hand reaching out to slip her longer fingers into his hanging hand and squeeze gently. "Kero Kero... Call me later, once you're feeling better Izuku-chan. We can talk then. Okay, Kero?" Dumbly he nodded in agreement, his mind quickly approaching critical mass for revelations for the day. Giving another squeeze the girl pulled away to start walking towards her father's car, pausing to bow and say her goodbyes to the other two with Izuku watching his crush the entire time. _**Smug** "...Shut up, Goliath."_

_**DANGER/PREDATOR** _

His instincts suddenly flared with a vengeance, his hackles rising and claws lengthening without a second thought as he whirled around. The overwhelming feeling of being watched by a predator on the hunt filled his tail-mind, but vastly different than anything he'd felt to date. Gang Orca's aura was a huge presence that warned of an ever present danger, and when it was focused it chilled him to the bone as if he'd been dunked into the deep ocean water. The deranged Doctor Malus had emitted a nearly constant sensation of bloodlust, the feeling making his hide crawl like a thousand ants. This though... This was like being watched from somewhere just out of sight, like knowing that there was something under the surface of murky water waiting patiently for him to make the slightest misstep and fall straight into its gaping maw. Izuku whirled to confront the swelling impression of a threat, and came face to face with narrowed black eyes set into a toad's face as Tsuyu's father stared him down without blinking. 

A series of subsonic clicks and angry squeaks broke the optical stalemate, both mutants turning to look towards the pro hero that had stepped forward warningly. Sakamata's eyes glared daggers at the Toad quirk holder, his shoulders tense as he prepared to utterly obliterate the threat to the people he'd decided were his to protect. Another tense moment... before Ganma took his own visible step back and raised his hands, the triple play of predatory presences fading back down to an unnoticeable level. Inko simply looking between the three males confusedly as her human ears were not able to hear the warning noises Gang Orca was making, but her own motherly instincts telling her something was amiss. Lowering his head slightly the frog father indicated his submission before smiling disarmingly and turning to Izuku, holding his hand out towards him in a manner that implied a peace offering. Swallowing down his settling Instincts, Izuku reached out to take and shake the appendage as he listened closely to the man. 

"Asui Ganma. Grrk, Thank you for saving my daughter, Midoriya Izuku." Despite his salaryman appearance Izuku could feel the muscles behind the pressure of Ganma's handshake, which tightened slightly as he added one last tidbit before letting go. "Just one thing. Don't hurt my girl, and we'll get on fine. **Garrok.** " Izuku locked eyes with the older mutant challengingly, instincts demanding he fight back while his civilized mind prompted him to nod seriously. With his threat made the protective parent released him with a slightly apologetic smile, nodding to Inko and then deeper to both of the males before making his way towards his car. Only once he'd crossed the lot to his car did Sakamata loosen his ready stance, clicking audibly in annoyance as he struggled past his own instincts and brought one hand up to scratch the side of his neck. 

"I see he's calmed down a bit. Not much though." At both Midoriya's confused looks the hero smiled and shook his head. "Story for another time. Shall we go? I believe that we've spent here long enough, and unless I miss my mark somebody is still a little bit-" As if on cue Izuku's stomach growled loudly, proclaiming its continued displeasure with the lack of incoming nutrients. Blushing the boy covered it with one hand and brought the other up to scratch his head, causing both of the adults to laugh as they all began to make their way back towards the hero's vehicle. 

"Izu-kun, why haven't you ever brought Asui-san over before? Why is It I'm only just meeting her when you've been knocked unconscious?" Sakamata couldn't help but chuckle as the boy's mother set into him teasingly, the subject change tossing away the remaining tension of the standoff while they walked. Pulling up his phone as he made his way towards the driver's seat of his agency's SUV, he flicked through a couple of the pictures he'd taken since arriving at U.A. Stopping on one of the better ones he glanced over towards the two greenettes climbing into the back seats... before grinning mischievously and sending the photo to three greenette's numbers, flicking his phone closed as the ping of an outgoing message was answered by two pings of a received one.

Meanwhile in the Asui coupe was a scene of eagerness for Jelly treats, Samidare and Satsuki practically bouncing up and down in the back row seat while Ganma attempted to convince them towards patience. Tsuyu was looking out her window at the buildings sliding by, lost in thoughts of the day's events, revelations, and feelings. _"Kero. Izuku-chan... really is cute. I hope he doesn't wait too long to call."_ The sound of her phone alerting her to an incoming message brought her back with a blink, the frog girl bringing the device up curiously. An unknown number had sent her a media message, and with only a small moment of hesitation she opened it.

Popping into existence on the screen in front of her was a photo that made her heart tremble just a little bit, a soft croak escaping as she smiled happily. In it she could see the scene from the infirmary from Gang Orca's view, and the sight of Izuku wrapping his arms and tail around her nudged a part of feelings that were quickly pushing their way into the limelight of her mind. Without a second thought she saved the photo and set it as her background, setting the phone down and going back to watching the passing city with a silly grin breaking her quirk-induced emotionless expression... like a Goliath through a Zero-Pointer.

_Meanwhile in an SUV_

_"_ SAKAMATA-SENSEI!!!" (He still saved it.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, his croaks are not in relation to the marvel comics character! XD Coincidence only.  
> As of posting this chapter, our stats are:  
> 816 Kudos, ~320 (Not counting my replies) Comments, 213 Bookmarks, and a whopping 18953 Hits! Whoooo! :D  
> I know the stats are there to be seen, but I just wanted to go out of my way to thank each and every one of the people who read this story. Thank you for all your support, and for taking time out of your days to read my work. Thank you all for being Awesome. :)  
> I hoped you all liked the chapter, but I've got one more surprise for you. I decided to take the advice given during the Q&A, and I've made a lovely little nest for all you Ducklings to come hang out in! ^_^, I'll be around most days, and happy to answer and chat when I can.  
> Come join the Goliath's Nest: https://discord.gg/5RhU3aM


	25. Chapter 25: Of Transitions and Teenagers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The week of waiting passes in the blink of an eye, two teens far more distracted by each other than their exam worries. Meanwhile a Hunter finds himself the prey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go again! Don't worry, now I'm kicking my ass into gear! Working hard getting you the story you love! I AM HERE!  
> (Or something like that.)  
> Anyways, Easygoing chapter to ease back into things, but I hope the fluff makes up for it!

**Chapter 25: Of Transitions and Teenagers**

Izuku shifted nervously from foot to foot as he waited beside a relatively simple fountain, the small star shaped statue spewing water from the points giving him something to focus on. Something that wasn't the knot of worry, anticipation, excitement, and dread coiled in his gut. _**Worry/Stress/Lily/Fear**_ His tailmind seemed to be in full agreement with his current state of mind, though despite the carefully restrained mounting panic attack his tail swished slowly back and forth. 

_"_ _Okay, relax, calm down it's fine. No big deal, nothing has changed. **Doubt** NOPE! We're just friends, meeting up while we wait for our results. Nothing out of the ordinary, nothing that might change our relationship, or make her hate me-" _Snapping that thought off he brought both of his large hands up to smack his cheeks firmly, the sound drawing the gawking attention of a pair of businessmen passing by. The boy sighed as he pulled out his phone to check the time again, running over the events leading to this point again in his mind in an effort to distract himself... 

_\- Two days prior, Post-exam -_

Arriving home from the exam hadn't taken long at all, light traffic and a good driver making short work of the trip to be back before the sun had fully set. To Izuku's pleased surprise Sakamata had accepted his mother's invitation to stay for dinner, citing his work being done for the day. Like the icing on the cake of the long day, the teen's belly rumbled at the delicious smell of Katsudon quickly filling the small home.

The night had passed in a blur of food, laughter, and conversation back and forth with his mother and teacher. After the months of grueling training he felt like he could truly relax, and the release of tension across his muscles resulted in a practically jellied armored green bean sprawled on his stomach across the couch with eyes closed and tail waving languidly back and forth above him. 

The sound of his message ringtone had startled him out of his relaxation, and a quick check of the device denoted a text from a certain amphibious female friend. Tail wagging as he read her message denoting the fact she'd arrived home, Izuku excitedly began to message back and forth with her about the exhaustively exciting entrance exam. So entranced with his conversation the boy hadn't even noticed when both of the adults had peeked in to witness his tail attempt to cool the entire apartment, wagging like an excited puppy with a soft thumping against the back of the couch as Sakamata and his Mother smiled and retired back towards the kitchen. Roughly twenty minutes into the conversation Tsuyu sent a message that threw the eager green bean for a loop, his tail freezing mid wag as he stared down at the screen before responding.

 _Tsu-chan: Are you busy the day after tomorrow?_

_Izuku: Not that I know of. Why?_

_Tsu-chan: Good. Wanna go out and see movie with me?_

_Izuku: ....!!!_

_-Present-_

Needless to say that once he had worked through the surge of insecurity and anxiety, he'd agreed in a heartbeat to the froggy girl's plans. Thus leading to his current position waiting in the small square a block or two from the movie theater, trying to calm down his excitedly beating heart before it burst through his armored chest. _"Three minutes 'til one, I've got everything I need. **Lily** Just need to not make a fool out of myself in front of my ~~crush~~... friend. **Lily!** Easier said than done but I just need to not make it weird. Maybe she doesn't remember what I said after the exam, or maybe she doesn't know that- **LILY!!**_ _"_ With a yelp the boy hopped back from his tailmind jolting him out of his thoughts, straight towards the fountain edge which caught his legs at the knees. _"Aw crap!"  
_

Before the teen turned into a wet mess, a hand reached out to grasp his arm and swing his momentum back around. Twirling in a surprisingly graceful display as his reflexes kicked in, Izuku found himself face to face with the girl occupying both of his minds. Tsuyu let out a croaking laugh as she helped him settle back to his feet, not bothering to let go of his arm once he's stable. "Kero. Are you okay? I have no complaints but I didn't plan on this being a swimming day out, Kero." He could feel her fingers on his hide covered arm as she looked him up and down, head tilted to the side with her free hand'd pointer against her cheek in thought. "You're not usually so distracted you don't notice me. Are you still feeling tired, Kero?"

Bringing a hand up to scratch the back of his head and neck he gave her an embarrassed smile, tail setting to wagging as he took in the sight of her outfit. A forest green blouse above dark blue denim shorts that ended just above her knees, her long green hair was tied up in her signature bow at the waist and she carried a small blue handbag over one shoulder. Sniffing subconsciously the boy could detect that faint delectable scent of flowers **_Lily/Happiness_** he knew so well, along with a different but no less pleasant floral scent wafting near her neck and shoulders. _"Is that... perfume? It smells nice, but I like her scent better."_ Shaking himself out of his thoughts he laughed nervously in reply. "Sorry Tsu-chan, I guess I was just lost in m-my thoughts. Glad you could make it!" 

A small smile curled around the edges of her lips as she listened to his _"Adorable"_ stutter, before giving him a better up and down once over. Stretched tight across his chest was a black shirt that drolly proclaimed itself as 'Dress Shirt' in kanji across the chest, over which was a grey button up open in the front. He wore a pair of dark cargo pants with pockets on the thighs, below which she could see the large red boots that she'd never seen him without. Croaking in satisfaction she moved to stand beside him, slipping her arm around his to hang off his elbow gently. She ignored his stammering and blushing as she took her spot, fighting back the faintest dusting of red across her cheeks at her own bold move. _"... I don't think we're gonna get anywhere unless one of us makes a move, Kero."_

 _"S-soft!"_ Try as he might to keep less pure thoughts from his mind, the feeling of his recently realized crush pressing herself to his arm sent a rush through his system that set his tail to wagging uncontrollably. _**My Lily.**_ Struggling to reign in his errant appendage he cleared his throat, trying to regain his metaphorical footing and take some sort of lead. "S-so should we get going? The movie starts soon, right?" At her happy nod the two of them began meandering along the sidewalk in the right direction, Izuku examined his companion from the side of his eye as they walked. _"She seems so happy. But Tsu-chan told me her quirk made it hard to show emotion... **Happy** Does that mean she's so happy that it shows, or do I just know what to look for?" _The puzzle would remain unsolved as they arrived at the movie theater, pulling his mind to the task of trying to pay for their tickets over Tsuyu's insistence they split it.

_-Meanwhile, back at the Midoriya_ residence-

Inko hummed to herself as she puttered about the kitchen of her home she shared with her son, organizing the spoils of a successful grocery trip into the cupboards and fridge. She had the day off from her firm, perks of being one of the senior staff on the payroll meaning she could afford less office time. In this case time that could be spent on the upkeep of her homestead, and... _"Not a lot else."_ Puffing out a breath as she slipped a package of bulk meat into the back of her freezer, closing the door and folding away her grocery bags. _"Izuku's off on his supposed not-a-date, Mitsuki's busy, and here I am feeling restless."_

Moving over to the couch and taking a seat the mother glanced to her right, taking in the pictures strewn about the walls of their living room. Besides the artistic pieces she could see some of the photos of a young Izuku climbing about the small apartment, the boy growing steadily across the small timeline of framed memories. Her eyes traveled towards the end of them and came to rest on a wide shot, a picture taken in front of the Orca Hero Agency. It showed Izuku standing between both herself, and his pro-hero teacher with arms around their shoulders and an enormous smile. Once again she found her eyes drawn to the black and white figure of Gang Orca, her idle thoughts roaming back across the time she'd spent at her son's training with the man. _I wonder... Kugo-san did offer to go running with me if I ever wanted to. I know he's a busy hero though..."_

She blinked as she found her hands fiddling with her phone in her lap, flipping it open to navigate her contacts and hover over the call button. Before she could argue herself one way or another, the sound of the doorbell startled her into dropping the device with a squeak. Automatically reaching out to capture it with her quirk, she quickly bustled towards the entrance and calling out to whoever was on the other side. "Just a moment!" Undoing the chain on the door she swung it open slowly, Glancing back to make sure her cleverly hidden taser was within easy reach before looking out. "Hello, can I help you- _Kugo-san??_ " 

Sure enough there the object of her thoughts stood dressed in his navy overshirt and white slacks civilian outfit, with one hand raised up to scratch the side of his neck as he cleared his throat at her surprise. "Ahem. Good afternoon, Inko-san." Her continued silence drew a concerned glance from a tilted orca head, before he continued a bit less certainly. "I hope you don't mind me just calling out of the blue like this. Today is an off day for me, and I knew it was for you too. I hope I'm not interrupting any plans..." He trailed off as he noticed the woman's eyes distantly locked onto his chest, glancing behind him and then back to her when he didn't see anything. "...Inko-san?"

Suddenly she snapped to attention, so quickly it actually startled the hero into jumping. Inko smiled widely as she opened the door all the way, cheerfully speaking before turning to move further into the house. "Oh not at all, Kugo-san! Believe it or not I was actually in the midst of contemplating calling you! Come on in!" Blinking at her sudden shift in energy, Sakamata cautiously entered the doorway with a murmured apology for intruding before closing the portal behind him. Turning the corner of the entryway he found the Midoriya matriarch bustling about her kitchen and pulling out tea cups to set on the table, humming happily as she set a kettle of water onto the stove top with practiced ease. "Have a seat! I hope you don't mind tea, I don't have any of the strong coffee you like at your agency." 

"Tea would be fine. I'd have been more surprised if you did have the concoction we stock at work." Bemused by the perky enthusiasm she showed as she went about her hostess duties, the cetacean took the proffered seat and set his folded hands onto the table. The sounds of her humming mixed with the boiling water into a pleasant background noise, a sense of ease permeating the air between the two adults. Sakamata wasn't quite sure what it was, but whenever he came to this home a sense of relaxation eased a tension he barely noticed he carried. Eyes closing as he soaked in the reassuring feeling, he tried to sort through the slow moving feelings in his mind and chest. _"I cannot say I'm this relaxed, even at home. I wonder what the difference is here?"_

The whistling of a kettle broke his little reverie, eyes opening to find it already being poured into the mug and placed in front of him. The mother of his student sat opposite him with a cup of her own, taking a small spoon to help steep the tea into the hot water. Watching her as she smiled softly lost in her thoughts, the somewhat jaded professional found himself smiling again. _"Ah. That might be it."_ Again he was pulled from his thoughts by the soft cough from Inko, blinking to find that he'd been staring at her for an indeterminate amount of time. "I'm certainly glad you decided to drop by, I've been going a little stir crazy. With Izuku off on his _not-a-date_ , I didn't have a whole lot to keep me occupied." 

Chuckling at her carefully worded description of the boy's outing, he reached for the tea to sip gently on it before replying. "I'm not sure whether to be reassured by his insistence, or worried by his obliviousness. The Asui girl has a good head on her shoulders though, so I imagine that as soon as she figures out what she wants she'll go after it." As he spoke the words the slightest sensation of being watched slid down his spine, the mutant's head coming up to automatically search out the source of the feeling. With nothing visibly amiss with the apartment he was confused when the feeling only built, turning towards Inko to question her on it... before gulping slightly as she stared at him thoughtfully over the edge of her teacup, eyes digging in to him as she seemed to be thinking hard about something.

Inko had been surprised to open her door and find the very man she'd been about to call, and even more so that he'd gone out of his way to seek her out on a day he could be spending relaxing from his undoubtedly stressful job. Moving about the kitchen preparing the tea she'd snuck several glances over at him, watching as his red eyes had slid closed with an expression of contentment and relaxation that sent a happy warmth to her chest. Something about the sight of him sitting at her table with such a clearly happy pose fed into an empty spot of happiness she'd all but forgotten, bringing to mind a conversation with her best friend they'd had a mere month ago. 

_Bakugou Mitsuki had been sitting at the table in Inko's apartment, and they'd been discussing Inko's love life. Or lack thereof, in this case. Being happily married to Masaru, Mitsuki had apparently made it her mission to see Inko happy with someone again. Over the course of the evening she'd been offering opportunities and suggestions for meeting men, even going so far as to bring up the possibility of online dating. The words that stuck with the mother from that night were said in the brash tone of the blonde with a laugh. "You're not getting any younger, Inko! Your boy is growing up and you've done a fine job taking care of him, even alone. Maybe its time to take care of yourself, and go after what you want for once!"_

Hearing Sakamata clear his throat had her blinking and refocusing on her guest, seeing him watching her with a slightly wary brow raised. "Inko-san? Is everything alright?" Humming thoughtfully to herself, she brought her tea back up to her lips and sipped with a smile. The concern in his voice only reinforced the slight burgeoning resolve growing in her chest, and she found a new swelling giddy confidence in making her choice. _"You know what, I think you might be right Mitsuki."_ Smiling wider as she set her cup back down on the table, Inko leaned forward onto the table with folded hands.

"Yes, Kugo-san... I think I've just decided to go after what I want." Despite standing in front of villains and criminals that could destroy an entire building, the veteran hero couldn't help but feel a cold sweat of apprehension forming at her slightly ominous words. The look in her eyes as she watched him closely only reinforced that, but at the same time he couldn't help but feel the stirrings of cautious anticipation at her next words. "Since you're not busy today, why don't we take up your offer on going for a walk. Then, I'd very much appreciate it if you joined me for an early dinner. I know a good place nearby. Does that work for you?"

Letting out an uncharacteristically timid squeak, the hero cleared his throat as he tried to clear his suddenly frantic mind. "I _think... I might be in trouble."_ But despite his instincts insisting he was suddenly the prey, all Sakamata Kugo could do in the face of that thought was smile happily and nod back at the woman opposite him. "....I think I'd like that, Inko-san."

_-Several hours later, Izuku's park-_

What had started as a knot of worry and angst, had quickly evaporated as the day progressed. Izuku found his concerns melting away in the familiar presence of his best friend, and had thoroughly enjoyed their day out together. After a pre-quirk movie about a cocky billionaire weapons dealer redeeming himself through heroism, the two greenette teens had moved on to a nearby shopping center to browse the storefronts. Stopping for a late lunch at an american diner they'd eventually found their way back to this park, stopping at the cafe they'd hung out at the first time for a pair of ice creams that they happily snacked on as they moved along the familiar pathways. _"Seems like no matter what else happens, we wind up back here._ ** _Contentment/Happy/Lily_** _Honestly... I think I'm kind of okay with that."_

They were currently sat on the edge of the pond they'd first met beside, Izuku serving as a willing back rest for the smaller girl who was finishing the last of her frozen treat. He couldn't help but be fascinated as she used her agile tongue to clean the inside of the paper bowl, before gently setting the container onto the ground beside them and sighing happily. True to his prediction the girl had maintained an unusually expressive mood all day, and that fact only served to make him happier in response. They'd gotten a rather irate complaint from one of the other theater goers behind them when his tail had gotten a little too happy, but they'd only apologized and laughed at it later. Rumbling contentedly in his chest he leaned on his knees and closed his eyes, taking in the scents of his park and the girl beside him. _"I don't think anything could ruin today."_

"Hey, Izuku-chan." Blinking his eyes open he turned to look down at her curiously, finding her looking back up at him with her shoulder against his arm. Tilting her head to the side she pressed her finger to her cheek in that ~~adorable~~ tic of hers, eyes watching his carefully and, dare he say, hopefully? "... Why did you call me your Lily after the exam, kero?" With a metaphorical train wrecking sound, Izuku's mind went careening off the cliff of his happiness back into the panic and worry below. _"Except maybe that. Oh crap, oh crap, What do i Say?!? **Worry/Concern/Fear** "_ Unbeknownst to the frantically thinking boy his expression had frozen like a deer in the headlights, while behind him his tail seemed torn between lashing back and forth or thumping the ground in agitation. Tsuyu watched all of this carefully, growing slightly concerned when she heard the sounds of his skin crackling and shifting. _"She's going to think I'm weird! I don't wanna lose my friend, not like this I just found happiness again. Now she'll hate me and never talk to me again and-"_

~~**A gentle sound, like water softly falling from leaves to a still pond below** ~~

The feeling of two hands pressing against his cheeks dragged him from his mounting anxiety with a gasp, eyes locking onto the worried gaze of his friend as she held his face. A frown curled her wide lips downwards, brow furrowing slightly as she spoke softly to him like one would to a scared animal. "Hey, It's okay. Kero, I promise I won't be mad, okay? I just want to know, Kero." Her soft words reached him and soothed the raw irritation of his worries, a distressed whine breaking through his control as his quirk surged forward. In his head Izuku could only watch as Goliath snorted and pressed forward, feeling the mental and instinctual urge to _**Protect Lily/Speak/Reassure**_ explain to the girl in front of him. Licking his lips nervously he forced the words out, trying to keep his growls under control.

"I- um. My quirk... it _grr_ uh, sometimes sends me flashes of thoughts. Emotions. I guess it helps how I see the _rrr_ rest of the world through my instincts? I'm not su _rrr_ e." He watched her as she waited patiently for him to continue, one of her thumbs slowly moving back and forth in a soothing motion on his hide covered cheek. "When I first met you, I was scenting the- um, well, everyone involved. I-i smelled you, and you smelled like l-l-lilies. Still do. Uh, I guess my mind just gave you the name." As he spoke it all started to come faster, the words pouring out of him in a rushed confession of the tangled and twisted emotions he'd done his best to keep restrained. _**Urgent/Relief**_

"It just became my quirks way to refer to you, You've always been Lily. The more time I spent with you, the more my quirk and I started to like you, so it eventually evolved from just Lily to my Lily. I just want to keep you safe, and my quirk keeps pushing me to protect you. At first I thought it was just a weird thing that Goliath did, but the more I think about it the more I think it's because I like you so much. Even if Goliath wasn't pushing me to make you happy every chance I get, I'd still want to make sure my crush is happy, and-" _**ALARM**_

Choking off his words with a forcible bite of his tongue and a yelp, he clamped his eyes shut tightly. He hadn't meant to let slip his growing attraction to the frog quirked girl, but his mouth just couldn't stop as he'd poured out his heart to her. Now he'd gone and messed it all up, he was certain this time. He couldn't help the full body shudders that wracked his frame, a whimper escaping as his instincts struggled against the still present pessimism he'd cultivated over a life of being rejected just for how he was. When the feeling of her hands left his face he felt the first tear starting to slip from his eyes... only to yelp and open his eyes as a body thumped against his chest, with two arms wrapped tightly around his back.

Tsuyu had an inkling of what today might bring when she'd left home, and more than a few hopes too after spending an entire day thinking about her feelings. Now as she sat on the grass in the park listening to this boy struggle to open up to her past what was clearly deep set worries, she felt her heart flutter just a bit when he'd said he liked her and called her his crush. The decision she'd made that morning now seemed much more doable, and as his body started to shiver and shake she'd just done the first thing that sprang to her mind and hugged him tightly.

Izuku's arms twitched... before slowly raising up and wrapping around her in return, pulling Tsuyu around from beside him into his lap and against his chest. As her arms clutched him tightly, he felt all the angst and worry built up in his heart just... dissipate. The thrashing of his tail and thoughts slowed to nothing, his eyes fluttering before closing as he dropped his head to rest his chin on top of her hair. Inhaling deeply he smelled the scent of lilies and Tsuyu, the comforting fragrance further soothing his feelings until nothing but contentment remained. Yes, he'd just unburdened what he'd been determined to keep secret even to himself, but for now all that mattered was that she was still here. She hadn't gotten up and left him, or called him a freak. Izuku sighed heavily and happily, arms tightening a tad before he felt her shift in his grip before speaking softly.

"....I liked it, Kero." Blinking the teen pulled back from the embrace to look down at the girl who did the same, her face dusted with a light red blush across her cheeks and her hand coming back around to somewhat bashfully press her pointers together. "Both when you protected me and Uraraka-chan, and when you called me that afterwards, Kero Kero." Letting out soft croaks as she avoided looking into his eyes directly, blush building a little as she felt his gaze on her. "Kero, It made me feel wanted. I uh, haven't had the best track record with guys before. So when you were acting like that, and called me Lily, Kero... It made me hopeful that maybe you liked me like I liked you." 

The armored teen continued watching her, blinking dumbfounded as his mind struggled to catch up to her words. Opening and closing his mouth a couple times, the only sound to emerge was a couple coughs and growls. Eventually he managed to form words again, pointing to her shakily. "You..." She nodded, watching him hopefully as he then pointed at himself. "Like me?" She nodded again, shyer than before as his eyes boggled a little bit. _**.......Shock**_ His eloquent reaction from his quirk perfectly summed up his feelings on the matter... until a surging happiness crashed through his chest and up his throat, emerging with a happy shout that startled the ducks swimming nearby into flight. Wrapping up his equally shocked companion he hugged her tightly to his chest while she croaked in surprise, laughing in sheer relief at the absurdity that all his worries seemed to be for naught. "Oh, I'm so glad you don't hate me!"

Unable to resist the contagious happiness, Tsuyu let out a croaking laugh of her own as she returned the hug. "How could I hate you? Kero Kero, even If I didn't like you like that, I'd never want to lose you as a friend." Izuku just laughed louder, a slight tinge of crazed to it making her roll her eyes at his antics. Eventually he managed to reign himself in and settle down, resulting in them sitting much the same as they had after the exam with her back to his chest. Tsuyu brought one hand up slowly, shyly reaching for his larger one to slip her fingers between his and hold it. Beneath and behind her she could feel a body shaking rumble of happiness as Izuku returned her grip, causing her blush to return as she tried to get a handle on her own emotions. "... Does this mean we're dating, Kero?"

"If you want us to be?" Izuku said it softly with the confident high of having his feelings returned overriding any residual sense of awkwardness, rumbling louder as she nodded again. _ **Fierce Joy/Pride/MY Lily**_ "Then I'd love to be your boyfriend, Tsu-chan." She wiggled slightly as he said her name, the tone somehow different than the other times he'd said it before. The frog girl let out a small chirruping happy croak, getting more comfortable in the lap of her now boyfriend. _"Kero Kero. I'm glad I decided to push it. Who knows how long it would have taken otherwise."_

The two of them sat like that for the next twenty or so minutes, both of them reluctant to end the blissful atmosphere. Eventually though as the sun traveled towards the horizon they had to move, Tsuyu climbing out of her comfortable seat to gather her bag and stretch. Glancing through her phone to make sure she hadn't missed any important messages, she turned back to Izuku to find him bending down to collect the trash from their Ice cream bowls. Seeing his broad back brought to mind an urge that had been in the back of her mind for a long time now, and she promptly decided to act on it now. Waiting for him to straighten back up, the girl bent her knees and leapt forward with a soft 'Kero!'

Izuku squawked as the weight of his new girlfriend hit him from behind, stumbling a step before bracing himself easily with tail flicking. Glancing around he came face to face with the girl clinging to his back, legs wrapped around his waist and chin nestled comfortably onto his shoulder as she gave a small grin. Raising an eyebrow as his traitorous tail began wagging, he tried to keep the happiness from his voice as he questioned her. _**Happy/Lily/Affection**_ "Comfortable?" She just croaked and nodded before snuggling up tighter, leaving him to bark out a laugh before adjusting their position and setting off. Not only was the weight easily manageable, the comforting feeling of her clinging to him was like a soothing balm on any sort of worries he might have had. Rumbling and croaking happily the two mutant quirked teens made their way back along the paths of their park, the sounds of ducks settling back onto the water mixing with the singing of the birds in the trees around them echoing the happy songs of their hearts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ladies and Gentlemen, I daresay that the ships have sailed. An early start to the relationship, a foundation on which to build! Monogamous Mutants and Monsters ahoy!
> 
> Late as usual, but hey? All part of the 3wolves experience, right? ^_^' Yeah, but I hope this helps make up for my inconsistencies. Gratuitous shipping and fluffs!
> 
> Some of you have already joined, but there's plenty of room left! Come join the Goliath's Nest! We have Goliath and Orca emojis! https://discord.gg/5RhU3aM


	26. Chapter 26: Moving Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku moves to his new digs, decorates his nest, and meets new people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally beat the block, and here is your (Late :< )chapter! Some moving day fluff and new faces re-appear and are introduced! ALSO AN ALIEN QUEEN! ^_^

**Chapter 26: Moving Day**

Maybe in another world the week leading up to receiving his exam results would have been filled with stress and anxiety, worried about whether or not he'd managed to live up to his loved one's expectations. But for Izuku it couldn't have been farther from his mind, too busy spending his days in an infatuation driven bliss with late night conversations and daily phone calls with his newly declared girlfriend. Even thinking about Tsuyu was enough to send his tail into a dangerous wagging storm, much to the detriment of shins, table legs, furniture, and anything else unfortunate enough to be caught in the crossfire of happiness. 

So when the after dinner relaxation was interrupted by his mother bursting back through the door, it almost came as a surprise to him when she excitably held out a hefty looking envelope. "I-i-i-zuku! It's here! Your letter!!" The thump of the opening door had startled the boy into dropping his phone with a yelp, and his brain took a solid half minute to process the words. When they finally registered with the teen, Izuku couldn't resist leaping forward with an excited bark of laughter. Picking his mother up in an enormous hug he spun around, causing to the woman to squeak in surprise before joining him in his laughter. 

When they'd settled down at last and she handed the surprisingly thick parcel to her son, the boy went on to surprise her by sitting down on the couch again instead of heading off to his room. Glancing up when she didn't immediately join him Izuku tilted his had with tail tip wagging, reaching over to pat the couch beside him. "I'd rather open it with you here." Reaching up to scratch the back of his neck shyly, he muttered the next words in a voice so quiet his mother had to strain to hear it. "I wouldn't have come half as far without you supporting me, Kaa-san." **_Pride/Love/Parent_**

Moving to sit beside her baby boy the emotional mother attempted to restrain the tears of joy and pride, instead opting to reach out and grab the obligatory tissue box always within easy reach. The two Midoriyas looked at the bulky source of their apprehension, Izuku hesitating a second before reaching out to run a claw along the mouth of the envelope to tear it open. Reaching into it he pulled a small metallic disk out roughly the size of an ash tray, turning it every which way whilst examining it curiously. Finding what looked to be a button on the side the boy pushed a knuckle against it with a click, only to huff in surprise and drop the device to the table when the concave side lit up with lights and hidden speakers played a triumphant fanfare. " **I AM HERE, AS A PROJECTION!"**

"ALL MIGHT?" _**Startled/Excitement**_ The shout of surprise from the boy was loud enough that the windows rattled in their frames, faint shouts of surprise trickling through the walls, ceilings and floor. The fact that All Might's projection continued with his trademark laughter made the entire thing seem like a practical joke, the titan of a man wearing a yellow pinstripe suit set against a ridiculous game show like backdrop. After shouting his apologies to the various neighbors he tuned back in to the projection in time for the man to finish arguing with a hand off screen, shaking his head and turning back to the camera with a smile.

" **MIDORIYA IZUKU! YOU FINISHED THE WRITTEN EXAM IN AN ADMIRABLE TIME, SCORING AN EXTREMELY RESPECTABLE 96 PERCENT! THIS GUARANTEES YOU A SPOT IN U.A.'S GENERAL EDUCATION COURSE!** " Hearing his former idol praising his academics was a confidence booster, and he couldn't help but feel the warmth from the compliment rise while his tail tip wagged. The man wasted no time in moving on, gesturing in wide and grandiose motions like the host of the aforementioned game show. " **BUT THAT'S NOT ALL! AS A PARTICIPANT IN THE HEROICS EXAM, YOU SCORED...** " A tinny drum roll was followed by a kazoo sound, the number one hero throwing his arms to the side as if presenting a new car while a glowing green number appeared in bold. " **FORTY-THREE VILLAIN POINTS!** "

"Is that a good score, I-izuku?" His mother's whisper from beside him reminded him of her presence, turning to see her watching the projection with an awed expression. The woman had grown far more accustomed to some of the glamour inherent to a top ten hero due to her time spent with Gang Orca, but there was a distinct difference between that and having the number one hero and symbol of peace congratulate her son by name. Before Izuku could respond to her question though, All-Might's next words answered it for her.

" **NOW NORMALLY THIS SCORE WOULD BE MORE THAN ADEQUATE TO SECURE YOU A PLACE IN THE HEROICS COURSE OF U.A. HIGH SCHOOL-** " _"Wait, normally?" **Concern/Shock**_ Izuku could feel his stomach drop out at the words of the man, unable to stop the surging dread and disappointment as he continued. " **THIS YEAR'S APPLICANTS WERE ACROSS THE BOARD ABOVE OUR EXPECTATIONS!** " _"So this is how my U.A. dreams end? **Disappointment/Suspicious** Knocked out of the running because everyone else was just too good." _The greenette's tail drooped off the edge of the couch as his head came down, hands clenching on his legs in frustration while the sting of tears threatened the corners of his eyes. 

" **OF COURSE... THAT ASSUMES YOUR VILLAIN POINTS WERE ALL THAT MATTERED.** "

Izuku's head shot up so fast he had to overcome a burst of dizziness, watching as the hero's ever present smile seemed to widen in response to him. " **HERE AT U.A., WE LOOK AT MUCH MORE THAN JUST YOUR ABILITY TO BREAK THINGS.** " The boy felt numb as he watched the projector start flashing through different clips of video, glimpses of his time during the exam showing everything he'd accomplished. The first robot he'd crushed. A group he'd torn through with his claws, and the examinees they'd been menacing scrambling away. The three pointers that he'd willingly stood in front of. Finally the minute long showdown with the Zero-pointer after diving in front of the girls, something he only remembered from a distant third person perspective.

Finally the camera cut to a scene of what looked like a teacher's lounge, the door sliding open to reveal Uraraka peering in nervously. He watched in silence as she plead with the excitable Present Mic on his behalf, begging to give some of her points to him for saving her. _**Confusion/...hope**_ The video paused and shrunk down to the corner of the screen, revealing the smiling man turning back to look directly into the camera. " **HOW COULD WE CALL OURSELVES A HERO SCHOOL IF WE IGNORED ACTIONS SUCH AS THESE? THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A SECOND SCORING SYSTEM IN PLACE.** " The smaller cutout of the freeze frame swapped to his score, before the forty-three slid to the left with the word Villain above it. Beside it above the blank space appeared a second word, reading...

" **RESCUE POINTS! AS DETERMINED BY A PANEL OF JUDGES, EXAMINEES ARE GRANTED POINTS FOR HEROIC ACTIONS! AND FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE, ALL THE OTHERS YOU HELPED.** " One comes to rest on his waist, while the other points directly to the camera as a number pops up in the blank space beneath rescue. " **MIDORIYA IZUKU! SEVENTY-FIVE RESCUE POINTS!** " The numbers stood proudly side by side, as with an electronic beep the window expanded into a glowing leaderboard. Sitting at first place with the total of 118 points his name proudly stared back at him, handily beating out the next score held by Bakugo Katsuki of 77. " **WITH YOUR SCORE YOU NOT ONLY TOOK FIRST IN THIS EXAM, YOU BEAT MY PREVIOUS RECORD OF ONE HUNDRED SIX! CONGRATULATIONS!!"**

This time the tears fell without restraint down his face, Izuku letting out a watery laugh as he reached up to rub them away. _"I beat Ka- Bakugo. **Pride** Take that, you egomaniac Pomeranian." _ He could feel the arms of his mother wrapping around him as she hugged him tight, crying even harder than him as they both started laughing louder. The projected form of the Number one hero smiled proudly at them, his hand outstretched as if to offer it to them. " **FURTHER INFORMATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED IN THE LETTER, AND MOVE IN DATES ARE FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THE WEEKEND BEFORE YOUR FIRST DAY. NOW COME, YOUNG MIDORIYA! THIS IS _YOUR_ HERO ACADEMIA!"**

_-Moving Day, Friday-_

The sound of boxes being packed and stacked in the hallway outside the Midoriya apartment filled the air, along with laughter and banter from the people moving in and out of the home. Izuku paused on the edge of the railing and waited with the box in his arms held out expectantly, laughing as with a buzzing flutter of wings Slim appeared opposite him. He handed the cardboard package to him with a grin, tail waving behind him as he teased. "One more for the car _**smug/joy**_ Fly-boy, the rest can be brought down by hand." The mutant sidekick gave a jaunty salute with one hand, firing back before dropping back down.

"Sure thing amigo! Don't work too hard now, yeah?" Vanishing from sight he zipped down to fit the fragile box into the SUV, Gang Orca insisting on helping his protege move to the dorms and his sidekick willingly following along. Turning back inside Izuku moved to the living room and glanced around at his childhood home, sighing happily again even as the nostalgia filled him. Seeing his mother putting a couple things into a small box on the kitchen counter he moved over to her, surprising her with a big hug from the side that lifted her bodily from the floor as she laughed.

"Sorry to leave you alone here, Kaa-san. _**Sad/Remorse**_ I hope you don't get too lonely..." His tail drooped a little bit to scrape along the wooden floor, frowning as he started to contemplate the sad state he'd be leaving her- Only to yelp as a soft thwack of a wooden spoon brought him out of the thoughts. Reaching up to cover his head from further attack, he looked at his laughing mother brandishing the spoon with a smile.

"Stop that, you silly boy! I'll be fine. I'll be fine here, even without your sunshine to brighten it up." She set the spoon aside as she continued to bustle about, collecting what appeared to be several new bottles of spices and packing them into a box. "Besides If I start to get lonely, I can simply have someone over. I've still got friends you know, I'm not _that_ old yet! Now go finish getting your things together!" As she said this Izuku couldn't help but tilt his head, _**Curious/Intrigued**_ a faint whiff of embarrassment rolling off his mother's scent during her spiel before fading. Shrugging and dismissing it as unimportant, the boy nodded to his mother and retreated to his room to grab the last of what he was taking with him. (He'd wisely decided _against_ the entirety of his hero memorabilia collection, and settled for a portion of it instead.)

Two hours later found the black Orca Agency SUV pulling to a stop in front of a huge, multi-storied building with a boldly written 1-A ALLIANCE above the entrance. Stepping out from the vehicle the boy couldn't help but gape upwards, glancing to his right to look at the rest of the similarly shaped buildings lined up into the distance. _**Awe**_ _"U.A. sure does go all out..."_ Sweat-dropping at the casual display of influence in front of him he moved around to the back to help unload, His mother and Slim stacking some of the less fragile boxes into the boy's arms before grabbing the rest. 

Handling the load with ease Izuku reached out to push the doors open, the creak of the hinges barely audible even to his superior hearing. The entrance immediately led into an area that would most likely be a common room, complete with sofas and a table set near a large television. The wide windows showed a spacious courtyard with sliding doors leading out, while to his left was a large kitchen area with several small tables and chairs for eating space. Down the way he could see the silver doors of an elevator, along with several doorways that likely led towards the other common rooms like bathrooms and laundry.

"Greetings fellow U.A. student! Welcome to the-" The loud voice cut off with a cough as the two teens came face to face, Izuku blinking as he looked at the blue-haired and glasses wearing stickler from the exam. The bluenette seemed just as startled as he was to see him, but quickly hardened his face as he marched towards him. The heavy with intent steps riled up his instincts, a growl growing in his throat as he tensed... before it cut off in surprise at the perfect ninety-degree bow the boy gave him, shouting towards the floor earnestly. "I must apologize to you! I harshly misjudged you at the exam, despite you clearly having not only good intentions but also the insight to see through the scoring system. I'm Sorry!!" 

_**Confused/Shocked**_ Izuku could only gape as his mind struggled to cope with the whiplash of emotions, only closing his mouth and speaking with his mother nudged him from behind with a meaningful cough. "Oh, ah... Th-that's alright, you were just trying to look out for everyone in your own way, I guess. Um, and I didn't really see through anything. I just did what I had to." The boy straightened up and looked at him from behind his squared glasses, seemingly shocked at his blase assertion. Izuku reached out a hand towards him, trying to smile in a friendly way. "Midoriya Izuku."

"Ah, Iida Tenya! A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Midoriya-kun!" The now named Iida reached out to grasp his hand and shake it, arm moving surprisingly easy for his previously robotic motions as he nodded his head. "If you truly had no further knowledge on rescue points, then even more so I must admit you are the better hero candidate. I look forward to working with you these coming years!" The armored teen couldn't help but smile wider as he let go. _"Hopefully, this is another person I could count as a friend. **A** **lly** " _Iida turned and marched back over to his table where he consulted a laminated handout, before plucking a key from a small cork board he'd propped on it and returning to hold it out towards Izuku. "Here is your key! You are on the Second floor! Let me know if there's anything I can do to assist you!"

"Ah, Thank you Iida-kun!" Iida gave a less severe bow before returning to sit at his table, pulling a small student handbook out and beginning to read it. Shaking his head the monstrous quirk user ignored the giggling and snickering from behind him, and headed towards the elevators in the back. It was looking like his new school life was off to a good start, with a potential friend and fancy new dorm to live in. Now all he had to do was make it to the first day.

Just under an hour later saw Izuku saying goodbye as his mother and Slim prepared to leave, the man leaning on the hood of the vehicle watching as the two Midoriyas hugged and promised to stay in touch. When the boy turned to look at him, the sidekick grinned and waved. "Don't worry, I'm sure we'll be seeing you again soon, amigo." He paused before his next words, playful grin turning sincere as his wings fluttered. "Hey kid. I know the boss man couldn't make it... but he wanted you to know. He's proud of you. Very proud." 

Izuku couldn't help but tear up a little bit _**Happiness/Pride/Comfort**_ at the mutant's reassurances, and he nodded with a smile. "Thanks Slim." Turning back to his mother to give her another hug, he wrapped her up tightly with a waving tail. "I'll come visit when I can. Love you, Kaa-san." Her reply was muffled through her happy tears, but he could hear it just fine. Another couple of seconds passed before he let her go and took a step back, waving as they climbed into the SUV. Two minutes later and he was standing alone staring in the direction the car had taken off in, only turning back to his new home when his phone let off a familiar sounding ding.

The time was just past four in the afternoon and the text notification with Tsuyu's name on it brought a smile to his face as he made his way inside, clicking it open and reading its contents with a huff. A scheduling conflict with her parents meant that Tsuyu wouldn't be able to move in until tomorrow at the earliest, with Sunday being much more likely unless her father managed to finagle a deal for a day off. _**Sad/Resigned**_ He quickly texted back both his disappointment and support, promising to be there whenever she managed to make it in. His face wore a beatific smile as he walked through the common area daydreaming about his _**Lily**_ with a wagging tail, so lost in his own head that the first indication he had of another person being in the room with him was them tripping over his tail.

"Whoa!!" A female voice shouted out in surprise moments before a loud thumping announced her sudden reuniting with the floor, Izuku turning around to look down worriedly with tail trying to move out of the way quickly. "Wha-? HEY WHAT GIVES!?" Izuku was confused by the lack of somebody on the floor behind him, the voice now behind him in the direction he was going. _**Confusion**_ He spun around to look again with his _**...Heavy?**_ tail whipping around behind him, furrowing his brow at the empty hallway as an exasperated voice shouted at him. "Oh for the love of- STOP MOVING YOU IDIOT!"

Freezing in place Izuku slowly turned his head to stare over his shoulder, finally realizing why his tail felt so heavy as he gulped. The girl behind him was physically striking in many aspects, her bright pink skin and athletic body giving her a memorable appearance alongside her equally pink fluffy hair while two small yellow horns curled up and out of her nest of hair. The thing that stuck out most about her would have to be her eyes, the golden irises twinkling in a sea of black sclera with equal parts amusement and annoyance. She was wearing a loose fitting yellow T-shirt above black shorts that showed off her toned thighs and legs, wearing a small pink backpack on her back with both straps under her now crossed arms. But arguably most important at the moment, was the fact that his tail had somehow managed to catch the pointed spikes against the fabric of the bag, and was currently lifting her up off the ground as she tapped one finger against her arm with a playful pout.

"You know I've always wanted a guy to sweep me off my feet, but this is ridiculous!" The expression of the girl went from her pouty anger to teasing smile in record time as she took in the boy in front of her, very obviously looking him up and down approvingly with a hum before continuing with a distinct lilt to her voice. "Though I certainly wouldn't mind if you'd like to try again. Hiya! Name's Ashido Mina, wanna buy me dinner before making your move?" She grinned at the blank look of shock on the boy's face, confident in her attempt at either teasing him or maybe even asking him out. _"He's pretty hunky, all things considered. Maybe we can-"_

Her train of thought is brutally chopped off as the appendage keeping her suspended above the flooring moved her closer to him, one large hand reaching out towards her as her eyes widened in surprise... only for the boy to methodically and gently remove his spiky tail from the fabric of her backpack as he spoke in a polite and friendly manner. "I'm sorry about that! Sometimes my tail has a mind of its own, I hope I didn't hurt you at all. Midoriya Izuku, I hope we can be friends. Now, if you'll please excuse me." After setting her carefully down onto her feet by the backpack he bowed again before turning to go to the elevators, leaving behind a flabbergasted pink alien staring after him with her mouth hanging open in shock.

"Did... Did I just get turned down in a brutal, completely ignored, deadpan fashion?" She asked it out loud with a blank voice despite it being mostly rhetorical, continuing to blink after the boy long after the elevator had closed and left. Meanwhile Izuku had arrived back at his door with his own blank expression, opening the door and making his way towards the bed to flop down onto it with a groan. He reached into his pocket and pulled up his phone, flicking the screen open to stare at his home screen showing off the photo his Sensei had surreptitiously taken. _**My**_ _ **Lily**_ A warm smile broke across his face as he rolled over and started texting again, his tail wagging against the bed as he conversed with his girlfriend with only a passing thought to the prior event. 

_" **Concern** High school is going to be weird..."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you have it! Monogamous Monster Minds allow no distractions! BEGONE THIRSTY ONE! :D Next chapter is probably just gonna be a shorter introduction scene for Class 1-A, but hopefully this one will be on time. I know I'm a bit on the unreliable time, but I hope you can forgive me for the sake of the story! *BOWS IIDA STYLE* Until next time!
> 
> For those of you not in the Discord server, I'll put a link to it here: Komodo23 has done it again with another AMAZING fan art!! I'M FREAKING OUT!!  
> https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/713628561914724363/720049650362613780/P_20200610_005941_vHDR_On..jpg?width=508&height=677
> 
> Come rest in the Goliath's Nest! https://discord.gg/5RhU3aM


	27. Chapter 27: Froggy Fluff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Zero of U.A, Moving in the girlfriend, Fluff Galore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey ducklings! We're back!! *Bursts from the ground in a shower of earth with a roar* Also we broke One thousand Kudos!! WOOHOO!  
> I won't keep you here in the openers, so check out the second notes for details if you're interested. But now! Chapter!

**Chapter 27: Meet, Greet, and Eat**

The sudden return of consciousness can be a calm relaxing process, opening the eyes smoothly as the body transitions seamlessly from sleep to waking. Or it could be the sudden jump that Izuku gave as he came awake suddenly, yelping when he didn't immediately recognize his surroundings and falling from the edge of his new bed with a loud thump. The groggy monster boy lifted his head with a groan as he looked around, blinking as his mind slowly worked through memory _**recognition/excitement**_ to remind himself where he was.

 _"Oh yeah. U.A. That wasn't a dream."_ Izuku pulled himself groggily to his feet with a grumble, reaching up to scratch the side of his neck with a jaw cracking yawn. _"Ugh. I haven't slept that poorly in a while. I stayed up too late texting Tsu-chan."_ Even through his morning brain fuzz he felt a surge of warmth at the thought of his **_Lily_** girlfriend, and as the teen went about throwing on enough clothes to be respectable his tail swished in a lazy sway that tapped the doorway on his way out. The early morning quiet of the dorms was broken only by the muted thump of his feet on the carpets, followed by the ding and clank of the elevator taking him towards the floor below and the promise of food. 

With a rumbling stomach the boy stalked across the floor towards the kitchen to open the large fridge and begin rummaging inside, not noticing the large figure sitting at one of the tables watching him silently with a steaming cup. Finding a slab of some sort of meat packaged in one of the drawers he rumbles happily, turning around and closing the door with a flick of his tail on the way to a table. Plopping down into the chair with a huff he uses his claws to tear the plastic from the morsel then bringing it up to start mindlessly chewing on it with eyes closed, tail flicking as the second person watches him for a time before standing up to head towards his table.

The click of something being placed onto the table broke through his funk, one eye opening to see a large hand gently pushing a steaming cup to a rest in front of him. The scent of a soothing tea reached his nose as his eyes followed the limb back to its owner, the arm terminating at a shoulder boasting two additional ones from a blue sleeveless tank top. Izuku blinked owlishly as he met the gaze of the teen opposite him, an elongated face framed by grey hair that covered his right eye with a 90 degree bend like some sort of slate cliff face. Everything below his eyes was covered by a mask stopping just above his shoulders, the soft blue fabric moving slightly as he spoke softly. "You looked like you could use something to drink. May I sit?"

"Ah, sure. Go ahead." Izuku sat up from his slumped position as the multi-armed teen pulled out the chair across from him and sat, the greenette taking a few subtle sniffs as the scent of the newcomer reached him. _"He smells like... saltwater. **Sea/Fish** Octopus? Must be related to his quirk and extra arms. Mutations are obvious but it seems like there's more to it. I wonder why he wears the mask? Is it for-" _ The boy couldn't help but start mumbling to himself as he reached out to lift the cup of warm drink, his muttered words cutting off long enough to take a sip and exclaim. "This is good!" The taste was rich but not cloying, and he found himself thinking he could get used to tea more often if this was how it tasted.

"Thank you. It's from home." The slight uptick of the mask across his cheeks indicates that the mysterious male was most likely smiling, reaching out with his upper right arm towards Izuku with an open hand. "Mezo Shoji. Nice to meet you." Izuku huffed happily and reached out to grasp it, shaking hands as he returned the introduction.

"Midoriya Izuku. Let's get along!" He grinned widely as the gesture was returned, pulling back to enjoy his tea as they lapsed into a comfortable silence. Internally Izuku was ecstatic, not even a full day at his new school and he'd already found a potential **_Ally_** friend. The two tall mutants continued to serenely drink the heated liquid (Izuku was curious but looked away politely when the masked teen lifted one arm to shield his mouth as he sipped) in the muffled morning light, the quiet ticking of a nearby clock keeping time as Izuku's mind finally started running on all cylinders. Above them faintly could be heard the sounds of doors opening and closing, noises of running water distantly heard as the other dorm denizens went about their waking rituals. 

The first sign of life came in the form of the front door swinging open to reveal Iida, sweating slightly in a set of grey and blue jogging clothes with a sports bottle in hand that smelled interestingly enough of citrus. Glancing over at the two of them he diverted towards their table whilst wiping his neck with a towel, hand moving to chop the air like the arm of an engine powered slot machine as he loudly proclaimed. "Good Morning you two! I am glad to see that there are other early risers here at U.A.! I had worried that our school mates would begin to tarnish the reputation of this esteemed establishment-" 

Izuku would later unashamedly admit to completely zoning out as the earnest young man waxed eloquent on the appropriate behaviors students at U.A. should display, with Shoji chiming in with appropriately interested hums at the perfect times to effortlessly carry the one sided conversation. **_Grateful_** _"Gotta remember to thank him for that later."_ The uptight heroic student carried on in that manner for another couple of minutes before the multi-armed mutant mentioned that showering after a jog was quite relaxing, prompting the bluenette to bow before marching off with a hasty farewell and leaving both boys to share a bemused glance as they went back to their silent tea.

Finishing his cup Izuku stood and walked into the kitchen to wash and place it to dry, waving to Shoji as he wandered back towards his room and receiving a nod in return. _"I should finish organizing everything, then maybe get some workout in. **Lily** Tsu-chan should be arriving today as well, so I'd better keep it short!"_ With a wagging tail the boy perked right back up, spring in his step as he forwent the elevator in favor of the stairs to get a head start on his workout.

_-x-_

Several hours passed in a blur of hero merchandise, simple exercises, and a well deserved shower as Izuku killed time, the teen now resting easy on his bed as he browsed recent hero news on a phone app he'd subscribed to. Tsuyu had texted him earlier that she was leaving towards U.A., and that he could expect her arrival sometime in the next two hours hopefully. The thought of seeing her again had both his tail and his mood dancing a happy jig as he went about his day, and now he was just waiting and relaxing. _"Haven't seen anyone else since this morning. **Contemplative** I wonder how many are here right now... I'm pretty sure that class 1-A has twenty students." _

Shutting his phone and setting it to the side he leaned back against his pillow, eyes sliding shut while his breathing evened out into a gentle rhythm. Taking a long sniff on the next inhale Izuku let the scents of the dorm paint themselves into the mental image his scent-sight created, the figures and shapes lighting up in fast wave of white behind his eyelids. _"Sugar, something caustic, ozone, a weird mix of warm campfire and snow, **Citrus** Iida-san on the first floor right now..." _Outlines of each of the people solidified with each sniff until he could discern body sizes and shapes, 'watching' as Iida scolded someone on the first floor over something as the female figure laughed and ran away. 

_"Pretty sure that was Ashido-san from yesterday, she must be the prankster type."_ Izuku mused on as he watched his soon to be classmates mingling on the first floor, memorizing scents to their shapes for later as best he could without meeting them. _"Might help me remember names better. **Concern/Worry** I just hope they dont think its weird that I can see them through my nose. Ugh, and I thought accidentally peeping on students at Aldera was bad, but now I'm living with a bunch of others in close proximity to each other... I'm going to smell so much that I'll probably wish I didn't." _With a groan he threw an arm over his face, abruptly cutting off the feed of scents while he contemplated the inevitably awkward situations in his future...

Until Izuku sits up with a start and eagerly sniffing the air, his face breaking into an irresistible smile at the faintest hint of something familiar. Surging to his feet the boy barely remembered to snag his phone and stuff it into his pocket as he hurried out the door, rushing towards the approaching scent of lilies.

The front doors of the large building opened easily for the girl, Tsuyu blinking as she looked around at the couple of teens milling around the comfortable looking common room. Pausing long enough to turn and wave back towards her father as the stocky toad man unloaded his car of her belongings, she let the door swing shut behind her as she carried a medium sized box of her belongings in both arms. The colorful cast of characters she noticed and was taken notice of in return gave her friendly gestures for the most part, with the exception of an onyx haired buxom girl (Tsuyu had a brief moment of awe and/or envy, she wasn't sure which) who waved her over and directed her towards a board with hooks and a map set above it to get her room and key. 

Gingerly avoiding a pink-skinned alien running away from a blue-haired robot whilst cackling madly, Tsuyu shook her head and started towards the girl's side of the dorms intending to use the elevators. She stopped when a familiar tingle ran down her spine, the sensation of a large predator stalking her sending a counter-intuitive thrill through her insides. From the outside though the only thing that could be seen was the faintest hint of a blush, and the slight smirk as she hurried towards the girl side stairs and the doorway leading to them. Looking around she quickly sets her box a little ways beyond the portal before crouching down, then springing upwards to grip the ceiling with her fingers and stick before skittering over to wait just above the passageway.

Moments later she could hear the sound of heavier footsteps approaching accompanied by discrete sniffing, followed by the large frame of a green haired boy she knew well as his head swept side to side curiously. Tensing up her muscles she waited until he was just below her, before releasing her grip on the ceiling and dropping silently to surprise him... or so she thought.

When Izuku had hit the ground floor he could clearly smell the scent of his girlfriend near the front door, weaving through the others before heading towards the girl's side of the dorm building. _**Lily**_ Focusing on the tantalizing trail as he followed it closely, he almost missed the sight of a box laying on the floor just before the staircase. His tail perked up and swished behind him as he strode towards it, curiously looking about for the reason she'd left it behind. _**ABOVE**_ The slightest sound of air being displaced by a body and his tailmind's sent the boy spinning around with arm upwards, catching the falling frog girl almost effortlessly as she settled into his arms with a croak and surprised look. "Kero! How did you know?"

"Uh... Lucky guess?" The sound of a wagging tail was almost lost beneath a happy rumble rolling through his chest _**Lily!/Happy!**_ as he grinned at the girl in his arms, tightening his hold instinctively as she wriggled to get more comfortable before facing him. He could faintly see the hints of red on her cheeks signalling her blush and feel his own heating up in response, but found himself far too happy holding her to care about how he might look as he searched for something to say. ".... Hi." Tsuyu blinked at him with her hands folded against his chest, cheeks puffing slightly as she ribbited in amusement.

"Hi yourself, Kero." Tsuyu couldn't help but want to sink further into the arms beneath her, the comfortable feeling of being held like this surprising her slightly. "You were waiting for me to get here, weren't you? Kero Kero." The slight surge of redness in his cheeks and the increased speed of his tail gave him away, while he started stammering out what was no doubt an apology of some sort to her. "Kero, It's cute. Thank you." Her voice cut off the mumbled words of her embarrassed boyfriend, his eyes flicking back over to hers as he smiled and opened his mouth to answer-

"Am I interrupting something?" The sound of a deadpan voice from behind him caused Izuku to yelp and hop, spinning around to confront the unheard approach of the newcomer. _**Concern**_ Standing there with both arms crossed was a girl with short, dark purple hair, wearing a T-shirt that sported English letters spelling out Deep Dope. _**Panic**_ The startled greenette blinked as he watched two thin tendrils of flesh rise up from where they hung off her ears, the small headphone jacks on the end glinting in the light as they waved beside her raised eyebrow expression. "Or is it just normal to be making out in the middle of the hall for you guys?" 

Before the increasingly flustered boy could even begin to respond, the amphibious girl in his arms wriggled around until she could face the new girl. Looking her up and down she croaks quite conversationally, "Not usually, Kero. Have any suggestions where we could go when we do?" Her own droll delivery mixed with the emotionless expression seemed to fluster the newcomer in equal returns, despite her own internal embarrassment trying its thrice darned best to set her aflame. She could only thank her stoicism as she watched the girl's earlobes wave like agitated snakes, her stuttering and stammering mess of words tripping over each other until she covers her face and rushes past with a squeak. 

Letting out a huff of amusement at the response to her return fire teasing Tsuyu turns to look up at the boy holding her, only to find that Izuku.exe had experienced a problem of severe magnitude and stopped working. The monstrous male sported a distant look as words tumbled past his lips like a runaway freight train with nobody driving, and even focusing closely she could only catch every couple of words that included things like, 'Making out' 'Soft' and 'Lily'. This plus the steadily growing visible plush practically causing the boy to steam at the ears brought on the full bodied laughter from her belly, croaking giggles filling the hallway as she went about resetting her boyfriend with strategically placed pokes.

_-x-_

After restarting the brain of the monstrous cinnamon roll beside her the two mutant teens went about the process of moving Tsuyu into the dorms, Izuku noting idly that the girl side of the building was pretty much the same as the boy's. A brief nod and uncomfortably tight handshake was the sum of interaction between the teen and Ganma, a brief conversation with Tsuyu revealing that he hadn't been happy when he found out that they were dating. But after convincing him to not drag the boy aside for a threatening conversation (the deadpan delivery of this worried Izuku slightly), He agreed to trust his daughter and give them some time to figure it out before he started making scenes. 

Somewhere in the realm of an hour and a half later the two of them were putting the finishing touches on the adorably green/blue room, Izuku carefully positioning a large bean bag chair at Tsuyu's directions beside a blue rug designed to look like a small pool of water. The frog quirked girl lounged across the bed as she folded various articles of clothing, sorting them into piles to be put away in the closet and appropriate drawers. Occasionally she could feel a nudge on her side and thigh as Izuku walked by, reaching down to pat the tail that seemed to seek her out whenever he was nearby after the first couple of startles.

Suddenly a knocking rang out through the room as knuckles impacted the door, Tsuyu having to restrain herself from cooing at the way the boy's head turned towards it and perked his tail. Hopping up from her comfortable spot she wandered over to the portal and swung it open slowly, peering out to see... nobody? At least that's what she thought until a waving sleeve caught her attention and revealed that there was a set of clothes suspended midair, revealed to probably be a student as a peppy female voice filled the air from the transparent girl. "Hi there room sister! I'm Hagakure Tooru, two floors straight down from you! A couple of us figured that we could come and get everyone to have a sit down in the common room, meet everybody else! Whatya Say??" 

Confronted with such positivity bundled into such a small package Tsuyu responded with her best, a slow blink as she processed the words before turning back towards her room with a croak. "Kero. You want to go meet everybody?" The t-shirt in front of her tilted to the side as if its wearer was trying to see past the girl, only for the living prism to squeak when a large figure steps up behind the frog quirked girl. Izuku looked at the floating clothes whilst taking quiet sniffs, tail swinging behind him as he suddenly raises a hand to bop his fist into an open palm.

"Now I recognize you!" Both girls (presumably) turned to look at him curiously, prompting him to continue with a slight blush at their scrutiny. "Hagakure-san was in our testing zone too. She was being attacked by some three pointers while she was d-distracted." Smiling nervously the boy watched his girlfriend stare at him closely, before shrugging and turning back to the girl and nodding.

"We'll come down in a minute or two. See you there, kero." Was all she said before tugging the door closed, leaving the cheerful invisible girl to stare at the portal with a growing hidden grin. Inside the room the two teens quickly finished the last of the boxes in a flurry of motion, Tsuyu folding up the last box and sliding it beside the others at the back of the closet, sliding it closed and moving towards the door to close it behind them with a satisfying clunk. Izuku rumbled contentedly as he turned towards the stairs, when from behind him with a soft "Kero!" the smaller female leapt up onto him to latch onto his shoulders. 

"T-tsu-chan!" Stumbling slightly more from surprise than the impact, he looked over his shoulder to come face to face with the girl in question as she blinked back at him with one finger pressed to her cheek. _**C**_ _ **ute...**_ "Should we really be doing this in the dorms? W-won't we get in trouble?" Despite his token protests Izuku couldn't help a deep seated _**satisfaction/My Lily**_ the feeling of her weight gave him, a rumble that sounded embarrassingly similar to a purr struggling to escape from his chest while his tail swished back and forth through the air like a metronome.

"Nope." At his curious look Tsuyu simply snuggled up closer between his shoulder blades, noting once again how comfortable it was here as she rested her chin on his shoulder before continuing. "Kero, I looked up the rules on relationships at U.A. yesterday while packing. The official statement is that relationships are allowed between students as long as their homeroom teacher or the principal doesn't deem them as disruptive their classes and themselves. It means that as long as we aren't obnoxious about it, we can be as affectionate as we want, Kero." Croaking happily she leaned up to nuzzle the side of his cheek affectionately, whilst mentally shuffling away the rest of the information she'd found in the handbook on rules concerning more... intimate relations for later. "Besides, you're warm. I'm not giving this up for anything, Kero kero!"

**BA-BUMP**

"K-kero?" Tsuyu jumped slightly as a sound not unlike a bass drum rattled her body from below, blinking slightly as the heat from her unorthodox perch seemed to double. The warmth of it soaked into her body instantly, threatening to send her into a daze as her boyfriend seemed to internally combust. Leaning around to look at his face she saw him wearing the sappiest smile she'd ever seen, his glassy eyes staring towards the elevators while a rumble like a car engine rolled from his chest. Hear a sound like an industrial fan behind them she turned her head, watching in amusement as his expressive tail wildly swung back and forth across the carpeted floor at mach speeds.

Giggles that sounded like melodic croaking only fueled the _**Lily/Adoration/Ecstasy**_ hazy fog that her affectionate display had brought down on the poor boy, only snapping out of it when a poke from one finger nudged his head to the side. "Come one, Kero. Let's go meet our dorm mates." Voicing a wordless agreement he started meandering towards the staircase, intent on taking the longest route he could towards the common room. Tsuyu seemed perfectly content with this plan, letting out another satisfied croak as her arms and legs nestled her squarely on the back of her monster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, I decided to split up the initial dorm into two chapters. Partially to assuage my skittering mind, part to give you guys SOMETHING for your patience. Really, life is out to get us this year. My personal shit list now includes: Family car set aflame (Darn Kia Souls), brief 'rona scare in family (Again), and a pointless legal fight that wound up going nowhere (big surprise, we told them it would).   
> But now I'm back, and the only change I'm making is to do away with the every week posting schedule in favor of an every two weeks goal. Until I can chain my muse up again (Don't judge her!) I'm gonna be taking longer to get you all the goods. But Hopefully this means longer and higher quality chapters! Ducklings like that fine grain bread, right? ^_^'  
> Anyways, I hope that you all enjoyed the chapter. Thank you all so much for your support, patience, and love. Stay safe everyone!  
> Plus Ultra Ao3!  
> Come hang out in the Goliath's Nest: https://discord.gg/5RhU3aM


	28. Chapter 28: Nice to Meet You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Second half of Day zero, a meet and greet with an explosive finale.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there, I'm sorry it's late. Here's another chapter, Ducklings!

**Chapter 28: Nice to Meet You**

It was a surprisingly peaceful commons room they arrived to, Izuku stepping through the doorway leading towards the girl's dorms in time to see the large group of adolescents moving chairs and couches into a loose circle. The initiative was led by the energetic duo of a grinning boy with a shock of blond hair sporting a streak of black that looked like a lightning bolt, and the same bubblegum skinned flirt from last night Ashido Mina. The horned moth girl flitted about the room with a contagious energy, excitedly bouncing to a stop in one of the chairs with a giggle.

As everyone seemed to find their spots the larger teen moved to claim one of the couches, feeling the comforting weight on his back drop to the floor as he started to turn to sit. By the time he'd carefully positioned his tail against the back of the comfortable furniture, Tsuyu had nestled beside him _**Lily/Happy**_ with one arm around his right and her hand resting along the inside. It was all too easy for the boy to shift his limb upwards, allowing her longer fingers to slide into place and lace with his gnarled digits, and leaving him rumbling happily as his tail thumped briefly against the couch before stilling.

This subtle interaction hadn't gone unnoticed despite the bustle about them, three sets of eyes catching and cataloging the two of them with varying silent reactions. Luckily for the couple whatever the pink, brown, and purple haired watchers might have said was forestalled by a loud voice, one and a half redheads emerging from the boy's elevator with the shark toothed one _**Mountains/Stone**_ cheerfully shouting. "Sorry it took so long! I got one of them, but my neighbor didn't answer. I figure he' already asleep, or out somewhere!" The enthusiastic demeanor was opposed by the cold, blank stare of the male behind him _**Snow/Campfire**_ , whose expression showed nothing but polite disinterest from hetero-chromatic eyes as his companion continued. "I figure we can catch him up later, and get started with this thing!"

The two took up positions around the room, with the silent one leaning against the wall beside the TV and watching everyone around him. Barely after they'd settled the energetic pinkette rocketed to her feet, throwing her hands up and out as she exuberantly started. "Awesome! Now that we got pretty much everybody, let's gooo!" Her enthusiasm was infectious to the teen, and her carefree attitude quickly dispelled any lingering awkwardness from the gathering. Spinning around she grinned and shot a thumbs up to the room at large, her fitting tee and shorts complimenting her exotic skin color as she continued. _**Acidic/Caustic**_ "Lets keep it simple! Names, Quirks, and something we like! I'll start! Ashido Mina! Quirk: Acid! I can produce acid from my skin, and I'm resistant to it! I like dancing! Next!" 

The girl's declaration was accompanied by another spin before hopping back over to her empty seat, plopping down and turning to grin at the conveniently placed monster bean to her right with mischievous eyes. _**Concern**_ Before Izuku could worry for his well being, the robotic bluenette _**Citrus**_ stood ramrod straight to unknowingly save his metaphorical bacon with a chopping arm. "I WILL GO NEXT! I AM IIDA TENYA, AND MY QUIRK IS ENGINE! I HAVE COMBUSTION ENGINES IN MY CALVES THAT RUN ON CITRIC ACID, AND INCREASE MY MOBILITY! I LIKE CLEAR CUT RULES AND STUDYING!" The ear ringing introduction was followed by yet another perfectly ninety degree bow, his shouting continuing towards the floor without pause. "I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL THESE COMING YEARS!" There were a couple laughs around the room at his dead serious introduction, several returned greetings mixed with a nearly inaudible grumbling from the girl with jacks for earlobes as she uncovered her ears. 

"Guess I'll go next." The brawny boy sitting with his chair backwards raised a hand to wave _**Sweets**_ , his most notable features being short spiked brown hair and large lips as smiled. "Yo! Sato Rikkido. Quirk's name is Sugar Rush, ingesting sugar allows me to increase my strength at the cost of some intelligence. I like to bake whenever I get the chance, and just wanted you all to know I made a cake for the get together! After we're done here I'll go grab it." His announcement was met with understandable excitement, the others cheering their new dorm mate and his confectionery promises. Another bubbly voice broke into the hubbub with ease, the floating graphic t-shirt waving back and forth excitedly.

"My turn!" Izuku tilted his head as he surreptitiously drew in a breath through his nose, the rush of information painting the outline of the girl in glowing white inside his mind in time to see her plant her hands on her hips. _"She smells bright somehow, clean and open, **Light** if that makes sense..." _ His musings were interrupted by her continuing and drawing his attention back as he kept drawing deeply every few seconds, not noticing the confused look from the punk girl across the circle from him. "I'm Hagakure Toru! As you can _see_ my quirk is Invisibility! Does what it says on the invisible tin! I like people watching and caramels!" Her outfit plopped back down onto her seat as several chuckles at her joke filled the room, the large multi-armed man beside her not even bothering to stand as one of his limbs morphed into a mouth.

"Shouji Mezo. Quirk: Dupli-Arms. I can transform them into appendages, limbs, or other organs." The silver haired giant demonstrated his limbs abilities to shift between several pieces of him, while Izuku tilted his head to the side curiously. _"He's only talking through his created mouth. He wasn't doing that earlier. I wonder why..."_ The mystery would remain unsolved for now as Shoji seemed to think his succinct introduction more than enough, gesturing to the boy beside him who curiously appeared to have a rather rocky head. The boy _**Forest/Leaves**_ lifted a small whiteboard from his lap and quickly wrote across it with a marker that seemed too small for his hands, before capping it and turning the surface to face the room at large as he blushed and hid his face behind it. 

'Koda Koji. My quirk is called Anivoice. I can speak to and request animals to help me. I like animals. Nice to meet you.' The visible embarrassment from the teen did nothing to detract from his endearment, several of the girls letting out coos as they noticed a small white head poke itself out of his jacket. The bunny lifted her ears up and twitched them curiously, nose twitching before she settled back into the warmth of her human's clothes. All of this didn't stop Izuku from noticing the barest hint of a nervous glance from the silent teen, adding to the curiosity of the fact that the rabbit had seemed perfectly at ease despite his presence. _"Usually animals are freaking out at the first whiff of me..."_ Behind him his tail lifted and fell a couple times as he puzzled the riddle, and neither teen seemed to consciously notice when Tsuyu reached over to snag the wayward appendage around her back and ensconce it in her lap with one hand resting to keep it still. 

"Guess its my time!" The electric blond from before _**Ozone**_ stood up from his seat to stand in the middle of the circle, brushing his hair back and posing in an admittedly silly manner. "Kaminari Denki! My quirk is Electrification! I can produce huge amounts of electricity, but I can't direct it and when I go over my wattage I turn a little bit dumb!" He winked and shot finger guns at each of the females opposite him, though as he went to 'fire' at the surprisingly cute green haired frog girl... some deeply seated instinct told him that would be a bad idea, especially when he noticed just how close she sat to the boy beside her. Clearing his throat he tried to continue his roll, shoving the intense stare of _large_ male beside her to the back of his mind. "I like having a good time, and _Shocking_ as it is, I am single ladies." 

The collective groan and various stares of the unimpressed women told him that no luck was to be had today, and with as much grace as he could muster he slunk back to his chair to sit with a smile. Beside him the black haired bow with large round elbows _**Adhesive**_ shook his head, and grinned from where he lounged and waved. "Sero Hanta, at your service! Quirk's Tape, which basically means I shoot tape from my elbows. I like pre-quirk hero movies like Spiderman, and soy sauce!" The normal followup to the flubbed flirt helped ease things through, and any residual disgruntlement was blown away by the sudden appearance of a... sparkling blonde. Literally. 

" _Bonsieur!_ My exquisite name is Aoyama Yuga!" The overtly flamboyant boy _**Cheese/Cologne/Nerves**_ made a gesture that caused small sparkles to emerge from his winking eye, his entire audience sweatdropping at the display while he pressed on. "My _Magnifique_ Quirk is called Navel Laser! I fire beams of light like shooting stars from my belly!" The presence of a large belt across his stomach with a glittering lens in the center caught everyone's eye, along with the expensive looking frilled shirt that flounced around with him as he moved. "Unfortunately, my beauty is cut short by bellyaches when I shine for too long. But never fear! _Le fromage est presque aussi délicieux que moi!_ " The burst of what most people recognized as french left them unsure as to exactly how to respond, though the girl next to him with a spiky black ponytail looked more confused at what was said. 

" _Qu'est-ce que le fromage a à voir avec cela?"_ The stately woman questioned her neighbor in barely accented french in return, receiving only an enthusiastic " _Qu'à cela ne tienne, il est temps de briller!_ " in response that perked her up and brought her to standing as she bowed apologetically. It did not go unnoticed by anyone in the room that the motions highlighted her more... mature female figure _**Spice/Incense**_. "Ah, apologies! My name is Yaoyorozu Momo! My quirk is called Creation! I can use the lipids in my body to create any non-living material or object I know the composition of. I enjoy reading, a good cup of Black-Tips Imperial tea, and sightseeing from my limo. I Hope that we can get along famously!" Her casual statement left many of the students around her staring in a deadpan way, her head tilting innocently as the silence dragged on. 

"Ah... Well, I'll go." The voice of the bob-cut brunette beside her had the young heiress retaking her seat, Allowing the girl Izuku recognized from the entrance exam _**Dirt/Grass/Metal**_ to stand and press her hands together with a smile. "My name is Uraraka Ochako! My quirk is called Zero Gravity! I can remove gravity from a person or object I touch with all five fingers for a while, but I get sick if I lift too much with it or for too long!" Izuku blinked as he heard that, his mind working through the applications of such a simplistically powerful quirk... and coming up with frightening results. _"A quirk like that... is very Scary."_ "I like mochi and bargain sales! Let's be friends, okay?" 

"Alright!" The once again enthusiastic response from the redhead beside her rang out across the room, the sharp toothed grin of the muscled man wide as he leapt to his feet. "My name is Kirishima Eijiro! My quirk is called Hardening, and it lets me get-" The boy flexed as he spread his arms wide, a cracking sound preceding his limbs and hair solidifying into sharp edged stone with a crunch. "SUPER HARD!" The muffled snerking from the girl across the room did nothing to deter the male, though Izuku could clearly smell the scent of slight embarrassment at Ashido's reaction underneath his boisterous exterior. "I like all things Manly! I dislike being UNMANLY! Lets work together to make our class the MANLIEST!" Laughter and agreement in equal measure greeted him as he turned to the next boy in line, a strikingly unique individual with the head of a black feathered raven who hunched his shoulders slightly under the sudden attention with a soft huff.

"Such a banquet of madness." The soft spoken words are nonethless heard by all as he stood _**Dark Places/Feathers**_ , arms crossed while he gazed around the assembly. "The name iI've been given is Tokoyami Fumikage, my parents bestowing me a name reminiscent of my inner darkness." His slightly archaic speech and edgy words garnered unheeded sweatdropping, the boy continuing on in grandiose fashion without falter. "The power dwelling inside of me is a demon of truest night, going by the name of-" Whatever the boy was going to say was cut off by a shadowy figure emerging from his stomach to warp around him and lean on his shoulder, the avian shape throwing a thumb up as he blinked glowing yellow eyes at them all. **"Yo! I'm Dark Shadow! Don't mind Fumi, he likes to be dramatic!"** "Cease your prattle, insolent creature." 

The juxtaposition between the two personalities broke the confusion, several good natured laughs bursting from mouths causing the entity to grin while the boy face-palmed. His thunder sufficiently stolen Tokoyami made to sit down again, allowing the purplette beside him her chance to speak. The girl saluted jauntily before bringing the hand down to twirl the jack hanging from her ear _**Metal Strings/Wood**_ , smirking as she spoke confidently with a strong voice. "Jiro Kyoka here. My quirk is Earphone Jack, and it allows me to hear extremely well. I can also plug these things into anything to let me hear through it, or I can project my heartbeat through them to create shockwaves. I like music and bands, so don't knock the classics and we won't have any trouble." Her playful jabs cemented her introduction as she waved behind her to the boy leaning beside the TV, His bi-colored hair blending surprisingly with the discolored scar across his left eye as he blinked back at the room now focused on him.

".......... Todoroki Shoto. Half-Cold Half-Hot. I like cold soba." The words were delivered with an emotionless voice.... and that was it. To everyone's growing confusion he simply stared back at them all, the silence dragging on for multiple moments before the next in line decided to step in with a cough. The blond haired boy was plain in many senses of the word, and probably would have blended perfectly into the background of almost any scene if it wasn't for one outstanding feature. Slung behind him and waving slightly as he leaned forward to introduce himself, a thick fleshy tail not unlike a kangaroo's tipped with a tuft of blonde hair... Fur... something gave him just enough individuality to break the average.

"Moving on... My name is Ojiro Mashirao, of the Ojiro Dojo." The man's physique certainly spoke to the life of a martial artist, though his relaxed stance helped mitigate any intimidation the lean musculature might have caused otherwise. "My quirk is pretty simple. It's called Tail, and it's self explanatory." His extra appendage flipped up over his shoulder, the tip dipping as if waving and gaining a couple laughs and giggles from the others as he smiled. "I like Martial arts mostly, though I dabble in some drama TV when I wan't to relax. Looking forward to our time together." He bowed his head respectfully as the others returned his wishes, settling back as they all turned to the rather... unimpressive figure beside him.

"Hey there!" The short boy hopped up to stand on his chair to be higher up, while the strange ball like protrusions that made up his hair glinted a deep purple in the light _**Sour Grapes**_. "Name's Mineta Minoru, and my quirk is Pop Off!" He reached up to his head and tugged one of the round objects, the ball detaching with a rubbery noise as he smiled at the rest of the group. Despite the outward innocence of the action, Izuku couldn't help but shift as something about the look grated against his instincts. "I can use my balls to stick anything but me in place, and they last for hours on a good day. I just bounce off of them."

There were several murmurs of interest and more than a few giggles from the bubblier girls, but as he tossed the ball over his shoulder to stick high on the Wall his smile twisted slightly. "As for what I like, I like the ladies, and I'll be happy to show any of you a good time." What could only be described as a lecherous grin was turned on the closest female to him, ogling the shapely frog girl on the couch next to his chair. _"For a frog, she's got some nice ones. I bet i could... Convince her to-"_ _ **ANGER**_

One second everybody was watching uncomfortably as the midget leered at the woman beside him and opened his mouth to speak... The next was filled with a sudden rush of adrenaline, heart rates spiking as a harsh violent growl rattled the teeth in their heads. Every eye snapped to the large green haired boy on the couch as he stared at Mineta, and even the most unobservant of them noticed his glaring orange eyes promising bloody retribution to the boy in front of him as the sound continued to vibrate their chests. **_PREDATOR/WEAK/DESTROY_** The perverted boy could do nothing but stare back at the threatening visage of the monstrous male, heart thumping wildly as if trying to burst through his ribcage while his short life flashed behind his eyes.

"Kero." A long finger poked Izuku in his cheek, the croaking cutting effortlessly across his snarl and bringing his attention back to his girlfriend. Her face was outwardly _**Cute**_ expressionless as always, but he could tell she was both amused and grateful to him as she turned back to the room. "Asui Tsuyu, and my quirk is Frog. Sorry about that, My boyfriend gets over protective sometimes." Her casual declaration was met with silence for several beats, before Mina burst to her feet and pointed at the pair of them with a cry! 

"AH! So that's why you ignored me asking you out!" If Tsuyu's comment was the fuel then the alienesque girl's was the match, as the entire room burst into various cries of multiple emotions. "Just my luck the hunk is already taken."

"I knew that was why he was in her room earlier!" The voice of the invisible girl exuberantly cried, her sleeves waving emotively.

"Dang dude, you're on fire!" Kaminari wolf whistled at the larger boy, shooting him a thumbs up as Sero shook his head with an amused smile. "Got a bunch of hotties after you, and school hasn't even started yet." Izuku blinked at that, unsure if the blonde had just flirted with Tsuyu with that comment. Before he could decide he was interrupted by the sensation of eyes watching him closely, A bead of sweat slowly dripping down his neck when he turned to meet the stare of his girlfriend with an unsure smile and nervously twitching tail tip. _**Worry/Lily**_

"I um... didn't think it was important?" Several seconds passed before she gave a slow blink, the armored teen sensing faint amusement behind her expression as she leaned in to him again. _**Relief**_ Her hand found its way back into his as she ignored the rest of the shouting teens, closing her eyes and resting her cheek against his shoulder.

"That's fine, Kero. I trust you, Izuku-chan." Tsuyu wasn't going to admit to the brief jealous surge that had surged through her, instead focusing on the fact that he had apparently cold shouldered her to try and bury the unusual emotion. The feeling of his his tail slipping around her waist to hug her closer and the light squeeze of his fingers told her she hadnt quite managed to hide it, but the soft rumbling words of her boyfriend succeeded in washing away the last of the traitorous emotion.

"My Lily." Izuku pulled her closer to him as he saw the briefest flash of something behind her eyes, not even needing the prompt of his instincts to pick up on his girlfriend's brief distress. He inhaled deeply _**Happy**_ as she leaned harder into him, breathing in the wonderful scent of sweet lilies and-

_**BURNT SUGAR/FEAR BRINGER/FOE** _

In a move so fast it shocked everybody watching the two the large green haired teen effortlessly lifted the frog quirk user and placed her behind him, Standing up to face the front door with a low threatening growl. Mere seconds later the door burst open with a loud bang that wasn't just the portal, an angry voice shouting across the now silent room. "What the fuck are you extras shouting about?? I could hear you from- DEKU?!?" The baleful red eyes of his middle school tormentor widened as they locked onto him, his lips twisting into a sneer as he brought a hand up to toss the workout towel over his shoulder and let out several small popping explosions. "The fuck are you doing here, fucking monster?" _**Anger/Disdain**_

"THAT IS AN UNACCEPTABLE WAY TO SPEAK TO YOUR CLASSMATE OR AS A HERO, AND I DEMAND YOU APOLOGIZE IMMEDIATELY!" Iida had surged to his feet and begun chopping his arm quickly as he reprimanded the belligerent newcomer, while everyone else looked back and forth between the uncomfortable standoff. Kirishima stood up slowly as moved towards the newcomer with hands raised, perhaps trying to mediate the tensions when Bakugou let out another snarl.

"Can it shitty four-eyes, I'm talking to the monster not you." He took a couple more steps into the room, glaring straight at the larger boy with hands popping menacingly. "Why the fuck did they let you in huh? Who did you have to threaten, you fucking villainous frea-" _**Anger/Threat**_

"He earned his place here, you idiot. Same as the rest of us, Kero." Tsuyu wasn't entirely sure what was going on, But she was sure that she already disliked this loud blonde. Stepping around her boyfriend to stare at him she watched as his eyes flicked to her, flashes of memories fluttering through her mind... 

_"Wow, look at that." "Such an ugly quirk, for an ugly girl." "Frog faced freak!"_

Snapping back to the present as the boy scoffed in front of her, tilting his head as he glared her down. "Eh? You wanna fuckin die, frog face? Stay out of this, or I'll kill you-" **_HATE/PROTECT_**

The vicious snarl that shook the entire room was accompanied by a step that rattled the nearby tables, a crunching sound accompanying a voice that dropped menacingly into a borderline roar. " _ **DONT THREATEN HER.**_ " The sound of straining fabric filled the room as Izuku struggled not to just give in to the sudden surge of _**Rage**_ that filled his body, restraining himself from lashing out as the blonde skipped a half step back and brought up his crackling hands defensively. 

The state down lasted for a moment or three more, glares from both sides woven with worried glances from all around, until Kirishima managed to get between them with hands held placatingly to either side. "Alright alright, lets just cool it. It's not manly to be starting fights before we get to know each other, right? Lets just take a step back and take it easy." Bakugou glared at the boy before letting out a dismissive huff, dropping his hands to shove them into his pockets.

"Tch. Whatever." Turning away he stalked towards the boys side, deliberately ignoring the piercing gaze of his former friend following him the entire time. Internally he struggled to keep a hold of the traitorous emotion trying to break free. After all, the number one hero is **not** afraid of anything. Neither was he. " _I'm not afraid. I'm not."_

Back in the commons room Izuku let his snarl die down as the threat left, his tail starting to twitch side to side as he huffed angrily. _"Stupid Bakugou." **Anger/Disdain**_ A gently cleared throat from behind him reminded the teen he wasn't alone, and he quickly returned to his spot on the couch. Ignoring the wide eyes and wary looks he reached out to snag Tsuyu by the waist, drawing a surprised croak from her as he instinctively tugged her back against him and plopped her onto his lap. She blinked up at him before wiggling around to fet comfortable while letting the emotional monster bean take comfort in having her close, though she resolved to have him tell her exactly what that was about later.

"So big, mean, and green... You got a name?" It was Jiro that broke the slightly awkward silence, smirking at the sight of the 'vicious' monster hugging his girlfriend like a stuffed frog. Izuku blinked at the reminder, before startling and speaking up.

"Ah! Sorry! My name is Midoriya Izuku! Nice to meet you!" _**Pride**_ He nodded his head to everybody as they greeted him, bringing one hand out palm up to the room as his tail rose and waved the spiky club tip. "I like heroes and Katsudon! Recently I had it re-registered to fix the name, but my quirk..." It took but a moment or two of focus to lengthen the claws of his right hand, his skin hardening and darkening as slate grey plates slid over the limb. He grinned savagely with sharpening teeth, hand closing into a tight fist as the name bubbled to the front if his mind once again. 

"My quirk is named Goliath."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Life isn't good right now. I'm struggling and my writer's block isn't helped by it. I promised the story wouldn't die, and I still do promise it. You may just need to be a little patient, my ducklings. Anywho, I hope you liked the chapter! Feel free to question any of the descriptions or scents Izuku's tailmind assigned.  
> Next time, First class with the sleepless legend himself.  
> Come hang out in the Goliath's Nest: https://discord.gg/5RhU3aM


	29. Chapter 29: Benchmarks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku is a little apprehensive on his first day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's go, Fight on! U.A. Day one!

**Chapter 29: Benchmarks**

_"Crap, how the heck am I supposed to tie this thing??" **Annoyance/Aggravation**_ Izuku couldn't help but grumble as he tried once again to fix the stubborn piece of fabric masquerading as a tie, his nails tugging it every which way until it vaguely resembled the appropriate shape. It certainly didn't help his mood that the points across his shoulders threatened to tear the uniform if he grew too much, but in the end he'd managed to pull together a vaguely acceptable look for the U.A. student uniform. _**Proud**_ Dropping his arms to hook one hand on the strap of his pack he strode easily through the corridors of the massive institution, following the faint scent of his girlfriend as a guide towards their classroom. Having woken up slightly late Izuku had lagged behind the others as he hurried to get ready, not really bothered by the fact that Tsuyu had went on ahead. _"Plenty of time to see **Lily** her later. We technically live together after all." _

Tail swaying happily behind him at that thought he hustled through the halls, passing other students hurrying to their classes and noticing a couple of the teachers from time to time. It still hit him even now that he really was at U.A. High school, a member of the Hero course being taught by famous Pro-Heroes. He was sure the novelty would wear off but for now he decided to ride the high for all it was worth, coming to a stop as the scent trail ended at a towering door proudly declaring the 1-A of his class. _"Whoa **Surprise/Pleased** , its big enough for nearly two of me. That's a relief I won't have to duck!"_ Chuffing happily he reached out to slide the door open and enter-

"PISS OFF FOUR EYES! I'll kill you!" "Kill me?!? Do you really want to be a hero with an attitude like that?!?"

-only to shake his head in exasperation at the sight of the blonde and bluenette bickering across Bakugou's desk. It was clear by the looks of the spectators ranging from annoyance to amusement that the argument had been in full swing long before he arrived, and rather than get involved Izuku decided to approach the group gathered around Tsuyu's desk. The girl in question looked up as he came to a stop, croaking softly in greeting as to not interrupt the enthusiastic chatter of the pink haired alien telling a story. The monstrous boy rumbled in his chest as his tail instinctively slid around to rest against her leg, catching the end of what sounded like a real thriller involving a chocolate cake, three pounds of chalk and water, and a rubber duck. He was still trying to figure where the last tied into it all when a happy voice called out behind him, drawing his eyes to the bubbly Uraraka as she bounced up to him.

"There you are! I never got a chance to thank you properly before, but thanks for saving us in the entrance exam, Deku-kun!" _**HATE**_ Her grin faltered as the air became tense, a shiver threatening to run down her spine at the glare the large boy leveled at her. A long finger reached out to poke his arm from the desk beside him, the brunette turning to see the Frog girl _"His girlfriend, they said that last night."_ nudging him. The feeling of danger vanished as Izuku closed his eyes and took a deep breath, Tsuyu turning look at her with large unblinking eyes.

"Why'd you call him that, Kero?" Tsuyu tried not to jump to conclusions about the girl in front of them, but the undeniable reaction Izuku had to the name today told her nearly as much as his faint shiver the night before when the loud blonde had shouted it. It was unlikely anyone else had noticed the subconscious response, and though she hadn't pushed him yet she had vowed to get to the bottom of it sooner rather than later. Now Uraraka pushed her pointers together as she wilted under her stare, stuttering slightly and hurrying to explain herself.

"W-well I heard the Blonde call him that last night, a-a-and I thought it was kinda cool. It sounds like Dekiru where I'm from, and the _You can do it_ vibe really k-kind of fits Midoriya-san, don't you think?" Her voice trailed off the longer she spoke as she seemed to shrink in on herself, watching the both of them sadly as she tried to figure out her error. With a sigh Izuku reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose with two fingers, tail tip twitching from where the appendage had wrapped around his _**Lily's**_ legs. 

"Look, I'm sorry for reacting badly, Uraraka right?" At her nod he dropped his hand down to rest on the desk, the tension bleeding out of his shoulders as he deliberately pushed the aggressive reaction down. _**Annoyance/Regret**_ "That name is an insult my former _**Foe**_ friend came up with for me. It means _Useless_ , and is an alternate way to read my name. I appreciate the thought behind your meaning for it, but could you not call me that?" At her frantic nodding he couldn't help but chuckle, smiling in an attempt to diffuse any lingering animosity. "Awesome. No hard feelings then, okay?" 

"Okay! I'm sorry again! I just wanted to thank you again. You were totally cool in the exam, like _Woosh! Bam! Raaaaaarrrr!_ " Uraraka animatedly swung her hands around to demonstrate her sound effects as she gushed, Izuku's smile growing more genuine as the feeling of Tsuyu's fingers closing around his and squeezing pushing away the last of the anger. _"It's not like she meant any harm. Besides, she seems friendly. It's nice to not be-"_

_**Predator/Threat** _

The sudden intrusion of his tailmind to his thoughts brought the boy's head up, nostrils flaring as he searched for the threat. Beside him he could smell Tsuyu also tensing up, either sensing something herself or reacting to him he didn't know. The feeling of being watched drew his gaze to the front of the room by the door, searching green eyes meeting the black gaze of a yellow... _"Caterpillar?"_ A blink and he realized he was looking at a sleeping bag, from the opening of which a dark haired man stared back appraisingly with bloodshot eyes. The most worrisome detail to the teen was that no matter how hard he drew a scent, his vision came up blank in the space where he should have seen the man. All he could faintly 'see' was the vague outline of his sleeping bag as he pushed himself upright, standing in the open doorway unnoticed by anyone else like some sort of human sized cocoon. " _This guy is dangerous..."_

"If you're here to make friends, you can get out now." His scratchy voice cut across the chatter of the classroom like a hot knife through butter, everybody turning to look at him in shock with a couple exclamations. Unzipping his comfortable cloak he stepped behind the podium at the head of the room, one hand bringing a small pouch to his lips that he drained in a single slurp. By the time the container was empty the room was dead silent, and the man threw the pouch into the trash nearby without a glance before continuing. "It took you eight seconds to quiet down, and only one or two of you knew I was here before I spoke. You're not very rational yet, are you?" His words fell like stones into the still pond of the teens watching him, Izuku unable to halt a shiver running down his back at the _**Dangerous/Calculating**_ look this scarf wrapped figure gave each of them before continuing.

"My name is Aizawa Shota. I'll be your homeroom teacher for your time here in U.A. Looking forward to working with those of you that survive." His ominous words had barely settled before he reached down below the podium, returning with a large stack of uniforms that he slapped onto the wooden surface. "This might be a little sudden, but take one of these and change into them. Meet me at the sports field in ten minutes. Anyone later than fifteen minutes will be punished. Dismissed." Turning before anyone could protest he strode out the open door, leaving flabbergasted students behind him as they looked back and forth between each other in confusion...

The scruffy visage of Aizawa leaned back around the doorway a moment later, saying in a bored tone before disappearing. "Thirteen minutes." The scramble that followed his words would have made black friday shoppers proud.

_-x-_

"Quirk assessment test?" The assembled group of young adults questioned incredulously from their group beside a dusty lot riddled with stereotypical chalk lines, after rushing to find the locker rooms and sling on the gym uniforms without falling behind. Finding the fit to be almost uncomfortably tight across the torso Izuku had resorted to leaving the front of the jacket open, revealing yet another of the grey tank tops he'd brought in mass to U.A. and making sure to keep his special shorts on underneath the pants. _"Gotta remember to thank Sakamata-sensei for getting so many of these for me. **Grateful**_ " (A loud sneeze wracked a cetacean peacekeeper in the next prefecture, startling the grey haired sidekick into nearly dropping the stack of files he'd been carrying as the room rattled.)

"Yes, an assessment test." Aizawa looked for all the world like he'd rather be anywhere else, but Izuku still couldn't shake the feeling that he was watching them all closer than ever. "Before you ask about the entrance ceremony, or orientation, or anything else in that vein-" His tired eyes flicked to Uraraka, who shut her open mouth with a click. "U.A. prides itself on allowing teachers the freedom to teach how they want. Thus, I am using my freedom to skip that pointless pomp and circumstance. It's not helpful to being a hero, and so we're going to be doing something constructive instead." Raising his his hand he showed them the screen of a phone, listing several common events in blue text as he continued.

"We're going to be doing these exercises. There's a catch though." Pulling a ball from his pocket he tossed it up and caught it, before turning to the explosive blonde in watching him disinterestedly. "Bakugou. You earned the most villain points in the entrance exam. What was your record in junior high for the ball throw?" The teen huffed as he crossed him arms, tilting his head with narrowed eyes before answering.

"Sixty seven meters." Their teacher nodded before tossing the ball towards him, Bakugou's hand coming up to snatch it from the air and look at the advanced piece of hardware. Aizawa motioned towards the white circle with one hand, the other holding up his phone.

"Do it again. But this time, you can use your quirk. I don't care what you do, but don't leave the circle." The nitro teen stretched as he contemplated the instructions, eyes flicking over towards the large form watching him before looking forward with a snarl. Rocking back onto his heels as he wound up, he bundled all the coiled feelings in his heart into the fuel gathering on his hands. Launching his hand forward he shouted wordlessly in a yell of defiance, a loud boom propelling the ball forward like a rocket surrounded by rings of smoke. The scruffy homeroom teacher watched the projectile as it flew off, turning back to the class just in time for the device in hand to beep.

"Know your maximums first. The only rational way to form your foundation." Lifting the screen he turned it towards them to reveal the numbers, 737.8m glowing back at them proudly. Bakugou smirked as he straightened up with a shake of his tingling arm, the rest of the class bursting into exclamations of admiration and excitement. Even Izuku could feel himself starting to get excited, the energy of the class starting to rile him up with a twitching tail. _"So we use this to see what we have to work on. **Excitement/Anticipation** Honestly, this sounds like it will-"_

 _"_ This is gonna be fun!" At the sound of Ashido's words Izuku felt the same presence from the classroom surge forward, head whipping around to stare as Aizawa glared at the group with an anger that smothered the air around him like a thick blanket.

"Fun, you say..." His threatening musing shut them all up, this voice carefully measuring each word before speaking. "You have three years to become a hero... do you think you can keep that attitude the whole time?" Izuku could feel something behind the words of the tired hero, a deeply hidden emotion almost lost underneath the anger that seemed... _"Constructed. **Sadness** " _The internal revelation did nothing to reduce the impact of his following words, a menacing smile stretching across his sleep-deprived face like a death's head grin. "All right. Whoever comes in last place across all eight tests will be judged to have no potential, and _expelled._ " The cries of unfairness and denial crashed over him like waves around a weather beaten spire of stone, his hands returning to his pockets as he stared them down.

"Natural disasters, Big accidents, selfish villains, monsters the likes of which you cannot imagine..." Izuku felt the emotion filling the words, and he wasn't the only one as they all quieted down to listen to Aizawa speak. "Calamities whose time or place cannot be predicted. Japan... no, the world is covered in unfairness. Heroes are the ones they call to fight against against that unfairness, no matter the cost." His eyes locked onto each of them with unflinching focus, causing them to straighten up taller as he spoke _to_ all of them. "If you were hoping for an easy ride, long casual days spent chatting at the burger joint, then you're in the wrong place. You're in U.A.'s hero course, and its our job to give you the tools to survive this harsh world those called heroes live in." 

"Now..." Aizawa watched the students as they squared their shoulders, resolve and determination filling their faces like a rising tide while he crooked his finger towards them. "Go beyond. Plus Ultra. Overcome adversity with everything you've got and more." Internally he smirked in approval a their response, not a single one backing down in the face of his challenge. In fact some of them seemed even more fired up now, if the slowly widening baring of teeth by the tall green haired one was anything to judge by. _"Midoriya Izuku. Quirk: Goliath. You're a lot like..... Well, Let's see what you can do."_ Izuku could feel his inner beast snarling in the face of the challenge, Goliath standing atop the stone face in his mind and roaring his defiance. For once the boy could agree with the sentiment, the tremors wracking his form from excitement caught by the perceptive girl beside him with a finger on her cheek.

Their teacher turned back towards the field with a huff, feigning nonchalance as he continued in that same confrontational tone. "Demonstration over. Let's get this started for real.

_-First Test: 50-meter Dash-_

Tsuyu crouched at the starting line with her legs tucked beneath her, muscles bracing as she saw the funny little robot raise its arms. Behind her she could feel the eyes of her boyfriend watching her intently which caused a brief blush lost beneath her quirk as she contemplated her position, before the thought of a white van screeching away replaced the happy. She let that memory fill her mind, the fear and anguish from being too slow speeding up her heart in the seconds before the start. With the simulated pop of a start gun she launched herself forward harder than she'd ever jumped, ignoring the rush of wind of the Iida boy sped past her in an attempt to push her speed to be better. _"I could have made it, Kero! I can make it!"_ "5.03 seconds!" The tinny voice of the robot brought her back as she took deep breaths through her nose, slowly straightening up as she pushed the feelings away again.

Izuku could tell that the tenseness in the froggy female's form wasn't all from the race, the scent of her fear mixing with anger and sadness before she rushed forward with several massive hops. _**Lily/Sad/Hurting**_ His tail wilted as he watched her straighten back up to her usual hunch after the race, walking back towards him with expressions only the perceptive could read. To him her eyes spoke of pain and struggle, prompting him to reach out and snag her arm as she arrived back at the group of students. Without pausing he tugged her into a hug, her surprised croak fading as she hugged him back tightly _**Strength/Protect**_ for a moment before letting go. Distantly he could hear as the others went through their turns, times yelled out by the machine passing as he focused on wrapping his tail around the waist of his girlfriend supportively.

"Midoriya. You're up." His name caught his attention as he perked up, squeezing Tsuyu with his tail before making his way over towards the line. Noticing who his running partner was _**Foe/Fear-bringer**_ he grimaced slightly, deciding to ignore him unless absolutely necessary. Thinking quickly he raised a hand to get the teachers attention, speaking up as the man turned to look at him. "Can I get one moment before we start, sensei?" At his narrowed eye nod Izuku knelt down to quickly unlace his shoes, setting them to the side even as he started to shrug out of his shirt. The wet crackle and pop of his body starting to change filled the air as he walked back towards the starting line, ignoring the rage filled look the boy beside him gave him as he grew in size and brought both of his massive hands down to grip the ground with a growl. _"Not quite half-shift, I don't need the extra weight. Let's use this to_ _**Fierce/Leap**_ _launch myself forward_."

The pop of the starting gun was quickly joined by the sound of explosions as Bakugou rushed forward, letting the adrenaline fuel his quirk as he pushed away from the line. The crack of the earth from behind him sounded loud in his ears, followed by the pounding sound of huge limbs tearing up the ground echoing in his ears and sending his heart into overdrive. "3.83 Seconds! 4.38 seconds!" The announcements of the robot were back to back as the blonde immediately shot to the side with a boom, skidding to a stop with both hands raised in front of him towards the monst- _"IT'S JUST SHITTY DEKU!"_ His angry thoughts derailed his reflexive defense as he glared down the taller boy as they both straightened up from their crouches. He glanced back at the track to see the dirt torn up from where huge claws had gripped to add leverage to the mad charge, before turning with a scoff to stalk back towards the line and studiously ignore the pounding of his heart. 

While all of this was happening Tsuyu had been watching her monstrous green bean closely, and if the comments from behind her were anything to go by she wasn't the only one enjoying the sight of his torso straining the tight sleeveless shirt at the seams as his body grew. "Holy hell, what did they feed that boy?" She didn't bother turning around to see who'd spoken, she was pretty sure it was Tooru or Mina by the sound of their voice, instead busy with making sure her blush didn't push past the blank face she studiously kept up. _"I keep forgetting how much work Izuku-chan's put into this, Kero."_ Shaking the inappropriate thoughts from her head she tilted her head at the boy as he walked back with shoes and jacket in hand, silently appreciating his apparent decision to keep it off for now.

_-Grip strength, Long Jump, Side Steps, The Ball Throw...-_

The tests continued without much pause or fanfare, excepting when somebody's quirk put their score into the exemplary. Shoji's impressive grip strength of 540kg followed swiftly by Izuku's 960kg sent the class into murmurs of awe, and the monstrous teen's jumping ability shook them to the bones, quite literally when he impacted hard enough to leave a crater a couple meters beyond the sand pit. Unfortunately nothing in his skill set lent itself well to the agility necessary for the side steps, the most impressive performance taken by the ball headed midget's ingenious use of their quirk to blue back and forth between the lines. The most shocking of results was hands down Uraraka's infinity on the ball throw, her quirk removing the paltry restraints of gravity on the ball and sending it clear past the stratosphere with a gentle toss. _**Uneasy/Respect**_ A quirk like that was terrifying in the wrong hands, something that Izuku found himself thankful that Uraraka seemed like a goodhearted type.

After watching Tsuyu whip the ball around and off to the distance with her pink tongue, Izuku began stretching in preparation for his turn. _"I feel good today! **Excitement/Eager** Maybe I can let loose a little bit on this one."_ Closing his eyes the boy started carefully loosening the grip he held his quirk in, the snort of the monster in his head as it eagerly stretched and strained against his mind's hold. He almost missed it when Aizawa called him forward and tossed him the ball, hand closing around the almost too small sphere while his skin rippled and swelled with muscles and plates. So intensely was he focusing on his quirk that he missed the narrowed eyes of the teacher watching him closely, dissatisfaction written across his face as the teen took his position. As Izuku went to wind up his throw and let the muscles of his right arm start to swell up and crackle- a sudden overwhelming surge or **~~wrongness~~** washed over him like a super powered kick to the gut, causing him to drop the ball in his hand as he clutched his right arm with a shout of pain. _  
_

_"Wh-what? What's going ON? Why did my- What's the- Huh?"_ Izuku staggered slightly as he almost lost his balance before his hand shot out to steady himself, falling to one knee as his head swam with a sense not unlike vertigo or disorientation. _"Why is my. Head so quiet?"_ Truly for the first time in years his head was absent the ever constant presence of his quirks subconscious prodding, the sudden input of his senses threatening a building headache as he struggled to comprehend what was going on. "I erased your quirk. Apparently, you're not a full transformation type after all, since you haven't changed back." Slewing his head around felt like he was moving underwater as he focused his eyes on the approaching figure of his teacher, _"_ _Was it always so bright?"_ the sight of his hair and scarf floating around his head framing glowing red eyes as he glared him down, a pair of yellow goggles rest on his neck like a menacing mask. 

"You're holding back. Illogical." Izuku struggled to speak past a suddenly heavy and taste overloaded tongue, Only to be cut off as the man got up in his space. "If you're going to tell me that you can't control yourself in that form, then you may as well pack your bags right now." Distantly the boy was aware of everyone looking on in concern as the older male leaned in to speak lowly, glaring him in the eyes as he picked up the ball and held it contemplatively. "A combatant that cant control themselves on the field is nothing but a detriment at best, and a danger to everyone around him at worst. You expect me to allow me to let you selfishly put every one of your allies in danger just so you can play hero? With your berserk mindset you're nothing better than a rabid dog on a leash, and far less controllable." If his mind wasn't so overwhelmed by the massive sensory input and comprehending his words, Izuku might have noticed the heavy undercurrent of pain lacing the hero's voice and the sorrow swimming in his eyes. As it was he was too busy trying to get his feet back under him, to get any words past the weight of suddenly unwieldy muscles weighing his body down. Aizawa sighed as he leaned back up and dropped the ball on the ground, his hair falling as his eyes fell shut and his hands moved to place eye drops in them. "Go home. There's no place for a mindless monster here."

There was a beat of silence as the weight holding down his body seemed to shift and swirl, the feeling of his quirk reasserting itself like letting the room settle after spinning for minutes. He could feel Goliath surging to the front of his mind. . . 

**and he had no desire to stop it.**

One second Aizawa was finishing putting the eye drops in with another grunt. The next a huge clawed hand had closed on the front of his scarf and jumpsuit, yanking him forward and up as a furious snarl assaulted his ears. Izuku glared at the man in his grip, so _**E**_ _ **nraged**_ by his callous dismissal of him and his hard work that not even once did the thoughts that he was assaulting a teacher cross his mind. The all encompassing unfairness of the situation clouded his thoughts, perceiving this as just another attack on the boy with the monstrous quirk, an attempt to bully him out before he could even start. Izuku didn't notice that he'd started to grow taller, or when his pants tearing themselves to shreds gave up and fell apart with the sound of tortured fabric. All he cared about was the man in front of him, and the overwhelming desire to prove him **WRONG.**

 **" I. Am. NOT. MINDLESS. AND I HAVE WORKED TOO HARD FOR A QUIRKIST PRICK LIKE YOU, TO THROW AWAY THE BELIEF OF EVERYONE WHO GOT ME HERE." **From an outsider perspective the other students watched as their classmate towered nearly four meters tall with their teacher held in one hand, too shocked or frightened or worried to interfere as he pulled him closer to snarl. **" I DONT CARE IF YOU CALL ME A MONSTER. I _AM_ A MONSTER! BUT I WILL BE THE BEST FUCKING HERO TOO. EVEN IF I HAVE TO DO IT SOMEWHERE FAR FROM YOU!" **With a grunt he released the grip of his teacher from his claws and turned back to the circle, growing all the larger as he reached down to grip the ball in his claws, and subsequently a chunk of earth he embedded the far too small device into. Aizawa landed and hopped back as the greenette's hair receded fully from his head with the last of his human features, dodging the lashing tail as he stood nearly as tall as when he'd destroyed the Zero pointer. 

Izuku was in a state of focus so great he never once questioned his actions, seamlessly bracing back onto his legs and cocking his arm with the clump of earth held in one fist. With a roar that shattered the nearest windows he let fly, a small shockwave from the force behind the throw and his step rattling the earth and sending his classmates stumbling. As the projectile hurtled off into the distance he threw back his head, mandibled mouth open wide as he roared his anger to the blue sky above. Behind him the sleepless hero held up the phone to watch the numbers rolling up and up, until with a beep it settled solidly onto 1.91km. The huff of air from in front of him drew his eye back to his student, watching as the huge creature brought its head back down to glare at him from one glowing orange eye. With another dismissive grunt the huge teen turned to stomp towards the others, unknowingly shrinking as he went the the crackling black mass roiling across his limbs and body to flake off into the wind. By the time Izuku had reached the other students, he was only slightly larger than his normal size.

Tsuyu had watched as her caring boyfriend was berated by their teacher, and though she couldn't hear the exact words she could see the expressions crossing both of their faces. She felt the exact moment his quirk returned, and could only watch in frozen fascination as he told the man off with a voice that seemed to echo and roll. When he'd thrown thrown the ball and earth she was ready to rush out of place, towards him to- _"Kero, to what? Comfort him? Scold him? Kiss him?? Kero."_ She wasn't quite sure what to feel. Her instincts were going haywire at the electrifying feeling of the massive predator nearby, while the warmth in her cheeks as he asserted himself sent little tingles down to the tips of her toes and her belly. When he reached the group she settled on somewhere in between, Reaching out to him the same way he had for her earlier. Tugging his massive arm towards her she wrapped hers around his waist, face tucked tight against his chest while his hands came up to pull her tight with a body shaking rumble.

He was pretty sure he was expelled at this point, and Izuku couldn't find it in him to care. All he felt was the strangely _**free**_ light feeling of having spoken his mind, and the the warmth of holding his girlfriend in his arms. The remains of his gym uniform had fallen from him to leave him standing solely in his specialty shorts, his shoes and jacket sitting forlornly nearby as he started to move towards them. He couldn't walk barefoot to the principal's office, after all-

"Midoriya."

The sound of his _"Former..."_ teacher's voice from behind him caused his shoulders to tense, but gently pulling away from the hug he turned to face the music with a clenched jaw... only to find the man grinning at him like a loon as he showed him the phone, his score lit up in blue. "Where do you think you're going? We've got more tests to complete." _**Confusion/Pride/Determined**_ The grin widened for a second before the the man dropped it and walked past him towards the others, speaking conversationally as he straightened the front of his outfit. "Keep on proving me wrong, Problem child." Izuku blinked as he tried to comprehend the whiplash of emotions and revelations, a nagging feeling in the back of his mind trying to tell him something important conflicting with the dumbfounded realization that he wasn't expelled. A tug on his hand brought him back to the present as he looked down to see Tsuyu watching him worriedly, head tilting to the side when he smiled reassuringly and moved to follow their teacher. 

_"Right. Tests first, nervous breakdown later." **Resignation**_

_-A couple tests later-_

"It was a logical deception, to make you give your all in an otherwise meaningless situation." Once again the man gave a smile that made a couple of his aggravated students relatively certain that he was a secret sadist, while beside him the Holographic board showing the final results of the tests flickered. Sitting pretty in the second place spot was the name of his monstrous problem child, and Aizawa could only watch on throughout the tests as he continued to give his all in each of them. Now as he removed their fears of expulsion for now, and dismissed them for the day he turned to start stalking away. _"So you're not a mindless monster. Okay, Midoriya Izuku. Exceed my expectations, and become more than you've been labeled."_ Behind him he could hear as the students started debating their day hotly, and could only snort as he heard the distraught voice of the softhearted mutant followed by laughter and croaks.

"Oh my god. I attacked my teacher on my first day in pro hero school."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Checking back, I can't remember what the last art I posted was, so I'm just gonna put some more below! :D  
> I'm hoping that everybody is doing okay right now. I rode out some more of the inspiration to get you all some more MH:G.  
> Have a great day/night/week my ducklings. 
> 
> Komodo's art that i tried linking back in chapter 26 (I think): https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/713628561914724363/720049650362613780/P_20200610_005941_vHDR_On.jpg  
> Also Komodo, A reference for base form Goliath!Izuku:  
> https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/713628561914724363/723936072350040094/P_20200620_180731_vHDR_On.jpg  
> New artist! This is a draft done by Peach-a-boo!  
> https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/713628561914724363/724571545539838002/draft_goliath.png  
> Also by Peach-a-boo, It's a take on Lil' zuku meeting Goliath!  
> https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/713628561914724363/726336521594208286/goliath_deku.png  
> Komodo again, An incredibly cursed reference for Half-shift Izuku (Still accurate though!):  
> https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/713628561914724363/733634631047446558/P_20200716_235650_vHDR_On_1.jpg  
> Lastly, A comic by Komodo!  
> https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/713628561914724363/733634631693500456/P_20200716_235700_vHDR_On_1.jpg


	30. Chapter 30: Cooldowns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> U.A. was winding down, a successful first day for many. But not for all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Ducklings! Have a chapter! Just a transition to help flesh out the bare bones of last chapter!  
> Mild trigger warning: If reading about Panic attacks is difficult, I think this technically qualifies?  
> I hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 30: Cooldowns**

Aizawa Shota was tired.

Truthfully by this point in his day he'd be finishing up his personal evaluation sheets on each of the students in his class, denoting which were ahead of their peers and which would need special attention to bloom. Instead he sat in the admittedly comfortable sofa in the principal's office, carefully sipping the tea he'd been handed as the white-furred mastermind rambled on about the opening ceremonies. He knew better than to think it was inane conversation, knew that as soon as the _man_ across from him saw fit he'd bring up the real point.

Sure enough as he finished describing the student's enthusiastic response to his speech, the mouse-bear-dog took a measured sip of his tea with sharp beady black eyes watching the insomniac closely as he spoke. "I also have it on good authority that your trademark first year hazing was quit exciting as well. Tell me... are there any problems in this year's class 1-A you feel I should be aware of?" Aizawa slowly set the teacup down onto the saucer with an audible clink, bringing his arms up to rest across his chest comfortably as he replied.

"No." Years of exposure to the furry mammal gave the hero the limited ability to read his expressionless face, and when the silence nudged at him to continue he sighed heavily. "I pushed the new students to be their best. They responded in spades. I have no problems with my class that I do not believe I can handle alone. That's all." The gentle click of Nezu's teacup being set back down with a soft hum indicated his acceptance of his assurance, and Shota pushed himself to his feet with a tired grunt. "I'm going to finish my paperwork sir, then go home and nap before my patrol." 

"Of course. Do be safe out there, Eraserhead." The hero left waving a hand over his shoulder as he pulled the door open, and Nezu continued staring thoughtfully at the table in front of him. Leaning forward he tapped a section of the hard wood with his paw pads in sequence, a soft whirring preceding the emergence of a built in screen and keyboard that extended to a comfortable position in front of him. Fingers flew across the keys as screens flashed by, until the display showed a freeze frame of the training field from earlier in the day. The exact Instant one of his pro-hero staff was accosted by a large snarling student, yet showed no fear and in fact was busy with one hand signalling a barely hidden figure ready to jump forward at a moment's notice. 

A grin with far too many sharp teeth to be friendly stretched across his muzzle, the beady black eyes shining with glee and monstrous intelligence. "Oh my, What a fascinating year we have ahead of us." With a cackling laugh he shut screen of the display, hopping down from the comfortable chair as the tech retracted back into the desk. He began tidying up the impromptu tea time with long practiced movements, humming a tune to himself while his quirk enhanced mind whirled with the possibilities.

Nezu was very, very intrigued.

_-x-_

Yagi Toshinori was confused.

Since he had arrived in Musutafu the scrawny man had found himself reacting to situations as they'd occurred, running down the occasional villains and preparing for his new job as a Hero school teacher. The myriad of concepts being presented to the number one hero made his head spin, everything from teacher and student schedules to rules or guidelines for lesson planning. He was far more used to the relatively straightforward business of **SMASH** ing first and doing paperwork later, a mindset that had worked so well for him thus far if you asked him.

It was doubly confusing to the rather hotheaded hero when one of the students he had been inconspicuously watching from behind a building had lunged forward to grab his coworker, lifting him by the front of his jumpsuit much like he would to an impertinent villain and roaring at him hard enough to rattle his bones. The fires of his quirk had raced through his veins as he stepped around the corner ready to dash out and separate the two by force if necessary, only to stop as the Erasure hero's hand had snapped up in a closed fist quite recognizable to the veteran hero. 

Oftentimes heroes in the field were required to move silently or communicate wordlessly, and in an effort to help avoid any incidents several Hero agencies worldwide had made a coordinated effort to create a standardized hand signal system. Hell, he'd been part of the field testing process in America, sitting through several lessons with a military advisor who'd taught them all select signals that had been in use by armed forces for centuries, and some that had been created after the rise of quirks. All Might watched as Aizawa held up the universal signal for _Hold_ to him, indicating to the pro that he somehow thought he had the situation under control. 

Years of training had imposed a muscle deep reaction to the signal, and Toshinori found himself freezing in place before he could second guess his coworker. Luckily or unluckily by the time he'd worked through the knee-jerk response the situation had indeed resolved, Aizawa dropping to the ground and dancing back out of reach from the now massive teenager. The Number One watched as the boy proceeded through the harsh teacher's tests with aplomb, his muscle form holding as his smile stretched wider when each of the promising students seemed to respond to the event with equal determination. As the group disbanded after the reveal of their teacher's "ruse", he nodded towards the other Hero as he passed by the muscular blonde with a glance. Turning and looking back towards the group, he chuckled and muttered under his breath as they started to leave towards the classroom.

" **HMM. PERHAPS I'LL FIND A WORTHY SUCCESSOR HERE AFTER ALL.** "

_-x-_

Iida Tenya and Uraraka Ochako were concerned.

The large greenette they'd each come to know had crouched down with a whine after their teacher had dismissed them, hands holding his head as he groaned out his woes to the amusement of most. The tall engine legged teen took it upon himself to try and comfort his classmate, restraining any sort of reprimands for what his strict mindset deemed a gross breach of rules. Even his rigid views had been shaken by the sheer venom behind the the monstrous transformation's words, not to mention the fact that their teacher had supposedly lied to them to try and draw out their 'maximum potential.' Resolving to delve into the matter later he firmly shoved it aside as he joined the others in leading Midoriya towards the locker rooms, a hand on his shoulder as the other boy seemed quite lost in his mind whilst muttering too low to be heard. 

The chatter around them seemed to ease some of the weight on his shoulders, though Iida noticed that he hurried through the motions of changing so fast he almost blurred. By the time he'd made it out the locker room doors, Iida could only blink halfway though pulling his shirt back on. The sound of red sneakers on the tile jolted him out of his stupor, his voice reflexively raising to yell after the retreating figure. "Midoriya-kun! No running in the halls!" The steps slowing slightly reassured him, even as his cheeks reddened from the laughter at his outburst around him.

Uraraka on the other hand was trying to delve into the other half of the mystery, slipping her gym shirt off as she spoke to the viridescent amphibian beside her curiously. "Hey Asui-chan, is De- Err, Midoriya-kun okay? He seemed pretty worked up out there..." She winced internally as Asui turned to stare at her when she slipped up, mentally slapping herself for forgetting the conversation earlier before the girl blinked and continued the process of changing.

"Kero, you can call me Tsu-chan. I prefer my friends call me that." Folding her gym uniform up and grabbing her skirt, Tsuyu pulled the fabric up her legs as she responded blandly to the question. "Izuku-chan has a hard time with people accepting his quirk. I don't know all the details, nor can I tell you everything I do know, but it wouldn't be the first time either of us were singled out because we're different, Kero Kero." She said it without inflection like she was talking about the weather or some inane fact, despite the look of horror from the girl beside her on the bench. "Aizawa-sensei probably reminded him of past mistreatment."

"THAT'S TERRIBLE!" Blinking at the outburst from the bubbly brunette Tsuyu finished buttoning up her top before turning to her, finding Uraraka scowling as she shook her fists at invisible bullies in anger. "Who cares if you look like a frog! Or if Midoriya-kun is kinda scary sometimes! Endeavor is scary all the time, and he doesn't get as much crap for being on fire!" A rousing cheer from across the room drew both of their gazes to the raised arms of their pink-skinned classmate, though even the usually stoic frog had to redden slightly at the rather... bold undergarments the exuberant moth girl was wearing. 

"Hell yeah girl, preach it! I'm sick and tired of people treating us like a freak show or a zoo exhibit!" Jerking her thumb back to point at herself with a grin, Ashido Mina kicked her feet up as she leaned back to agilely slide her shorts onto her legs before hopping up. "I think we'll get along just fine, girlfriend." Tsuyu and Uraraka turned to look at each other in confusion, the gravity girl giggling and covering her mouth before reaching out to shake Mina's hand and agreeing. Beside her Tsuyu nodded and finished putting on her uniform, turning towards the door as she made her way towards it with her bag in tow. Uraraka hurried to finish tying her shoes so she could follow along, eager to help her newfound friend in ensuring their mutual savior was alright.

_-x-_

Asui Tsuyu was worried.

It probably didn't show on her face very well, but the fact remained that she worried about the gentle soul she called her boyfriend. With Uraraka beside her she'd questioned one of the boys walking by outside the changing rooms, the blonde Kaminari pointing in the direction of the classroom telling her where the monstrous teen had gone. By the time they'd reached it however there wasn't a sign of him or his yellow bag, his desk bare of the syllabus placed on each of the others. A quick survey of the occupants netted their next clue, in the form of Tokoyami informing them that Izuku had hurried out after scooping up his belongings with hardly a word. 

"Thank you, Tokoyami-kun. Kero..." Tsuyu went about collecting her own syllabus and belongings in her desk, giving a cursory glance over the schedule and handbook cover before slipping them away from sight. Leaving the room flanked by Uraraka and the now caught up Ashido, the trio made their way quickly and relatively calmly towards the dorms. Unable to focus on the conversation, the frog girl instead found herself turning over the day in her mind. _"Kero, Izu-chan must be hungry after pushing it today. He's had more than a few rough spots since he moved in... I'll grab something for the fridge and go see if he's in his room. Failing that, I'll call him and go find him, Kero."_ She nodded to herself with a plan set, pushing away some of the questions poking at the back of her mind. Like exactly how he knew the explosive Bakugou, or when he'd managed to learn control when transforming like he had. _".....come to think of it, he told me he couldn't transform willingly yet, or at all without losing control. Kero Kero, Strange."_

Before long the introspective girl was walking through the doors of the Heights Alliance, noticing on her way to the fridge that they were some of the first ones back so far. Rummaging through the drawers in search of something filling, Tsuyu listened with one ear as the two other girls started chatting. "Man, Today was _intense_ for a first day. First the threat by our teacher, and then Midori got all worked up and flipped out!" Pulling a pair of packaged meat cuts from a drawer and straightening up, she turned to find the pinkette gesturing wildly as she recreated the scene from earlier. "I hope he's okay though! After all, it'd suck to lose a classmate so early. Especially such a good looking hunk like-" Ashido suddenly seemed to remember who she was standing next to, cutting off her words with a click of her teeth as she turned to find Tsuyu watching her. "Uhh.... Sorry?" 

"...Kero. It's fine. Look, but don't touch." The greenette once again fought back an irrational nudge of discomfort as she surreptitiously glanced over the figures of the other girls... and couldn't help but compare them to herself and come up wanting. Pushing the emotion back down firmly she walked between them towards the boy's side, both falling into step with her as she continued dryly. "I trust Izuku-chan, but I'd appreciate if you didn't make any moves on my boyfriend. Kero, He is pretty hot though." Ochako nearly tripped over her own feet at the blunt comment, while Mina just giggled and gave a big double thumbs up as they entered the elevator doors which closed with a ding.

"As long as you don't mind I'll keep ogling, but you can trust me girl. I'm no homewrecker, I promise to keep it friendly only!" The froggy female croaked softly in acknowledgement of her promise, resolutely shoving the jealousy aside as she watched the number jump to the second floor and the doors pop open. "Oh, Midori only lives on the second floor... why didn't we take the stairs?" The girl glanced over to Uraraka, who only shrugged as she followed their de-facto leader down the hallway. As they approached the door with the boy's nameplate, Tsuyu found herself tilting her head at the... lack of presence on the floor. Normally by now she would know if Izuku was aware of her, the strangely exciting pressure of his quirk interacting with hers absent from the air around her. _"Is he even here right now? Kero..."  
_

Uncertain if they were going to find an empty room Tsuyu croaked softly in thought, determining that she should at least knock before deciding. Reaching out she rapped her knuckles against the door twice, listening closely for any sort of response as the others leaned in curiously. Their focus was rewarded by the faintest sound of weight shifting on a bed, and a shockingly timid voice calling out. "T-Tsu-chan?" The girl blinked at the return of the pressure that usually meant her boyfriend was focusing on her, a sudden premonition rushing through her mind as she heard him hurrying towards the door. Turning to the other two as she stepped closer to it when the lock clicked, she locked eyes with Uraraka and said as quickly as she could. "Kero, See you tomorrow Ochako-chan, Ashido-cha-" Whatever else she might have said was cut off as the door swung open sharply, and a large dark colored arm reached out to the girl. With one last croak of amusement Tsuyu was yanked into the room surrounded by large arms, feeling perfectly at ease as she caught an amusing glimpse of the shock on the other two faces before the door swung shut with a sharp clunk.

_-x-_

Izuku was feeling worried, sad, anxious, angry, hungry, terrified, drained, and a myriad of other swirling emotions.

As soon as he'd left the classroom the large teen had rushed back to his new home, anxious to sequester himself somewhere safe before the mounting _**Fear/Anger**_ panic could overwhelm him. Bursting through the doors he'd only just managed to stop himself from hurling the hefty portal into the wall, nudging it closed behind him as he all but sprinted towards his room. Forgoing the elevator he launched up the stairs on all fours, sliding to stop in front of his door and fumbling with the key before opening it. _**Home/Safety/Nest**_ He then proceeded to toss his backpack onto the ground beside his desk, before moving to sit atop his bed with his back against the wall and knees pulled up to his chest and tail tight around his ankles. Deep measured breaths mixed with the occasional gasp as he tried to calm down, feeling the phantom sensation of bars closing down around him while his mind twisted and turned with forehead pressed to knees. _"I'm okay, I'm okay. I wasn't expelled, I didn't hurt anyone. None of them are **Foes/Danger** going to hurt me, they wont let anyone hurt me here. I won't have to hide myself. They won't treat me like a **ANGER** monster, not anymore! It's different It's different, It's going to be different here. It won't hurt again it won't I won't I can't I can'tcan'tcan'tcan't **FEAR/PANICKED/PAIN** -_"

The sudden sound of two knocks _ **ALARM**_ broke through his fugue like a gunshot, his head shooting up so fast he thought he'd gotten whiplash. He wasn't sure how long had passed since he'd arrived back, but the light through his window told him that it couldn't have been much more than an hour at most. Taking a panting sniff he 'saw' the shaky outlines form outside his door, the achingly sweet scent of lilies sending a shot of relief through his system as he slowly uncurled. "T-tsu-chan? _**Lily/Lily/LILY**_ " A sudden need to see the girl rushed over him in a wave, his limbs scrabbling as he hurried off the bed towards the door. He fumbled with the lock (When had he locked it?) in his haste, hearing the sound of her voice on the other side but not comprehending the words in his desperate need to **HOLD** her. A glimpse of pink and brown hair met his eyes, quickly ignored in favor of snatching the form of his girlfriend and yanking her into his arms, subconsciously moving to prevent any discomfort from the sudden motion while slamming the door behind her.

The feeling of her in his arms was like a weight keeping him from flying off on his own, her arms as she shifted around to return his desperate hug like a chain keeping him from breaking apart. Unknown to the boy his breathing was shaky with restrained sobs, body giving full length shivers while his tail curled around them to lash against the floor. Soothing throaty croaks and murmurs from the girl teased away the shadows around his vision, while the deep inhales of her scent steadily slowed the rapid beating of his heart. A ringing in his ears he hadn't even noticed faded away, her words reaching him suddenly as the world seemed to melt back into focus. "-ay with me, Izu-chan. Kero, You're okay now, Don't be afraid. You don't have to be scared, I'm here. Stay with me." The feeling of one of her hands running her fingers through his hair brought his attention to the fact that at some point they'd made it to the bed, and Tsuyu was once again perched sideways in his lap with one arm around him and the other pulling his head closer to her shoulder. _**My Lily.**_

Taking a deeper calming breath, Izuku lifted his head to look down at his girlfriend's worried face, her emotions for once clear on her normally expressionless face. Which of course only reinforced exactly how worried _**Help Lily**_ she must have been for him, prompting him to lean forward and press his forehead against hers with a rumble in his chest. "Sorry, Tsu-chan. G-got a little bit carried away th-there. I'm okay now." Her narrowed eyes reminded the boy forcefully of his mother then, flinching slightly as she told him with a glare alone that he was fooling nobody. "... I _will_ be okay. Just need-needed a moment. Sorry."

"Stop apologizing, Kero." A poke on his cheek nudged his head to the side with a surprised noise, Tsuyu puffing out her cheeks in mock annoyance before speaking softer. "I don't want you to feel like you're bothering me. I want to help you, especially when you're hurting Izu-chan. Kero..." Sniffling slightly Izuku pressed her tighter to his chest, shifting their positions until her cheek rested against his chest and his chin atop her _**Soft**_ hair. The two of them sat in the dark of the room together for an uncounted while, the slowly shifting light shining through the window the only illumination and marker of time they had. Eventually the girl in his lap shifted slightly, drawing his attention and bringing his gaze down to her as she reached past him towards two packages on the bed. "Kero, I thought you might be hungry." 

The sound of the plastic being unwrapped was almost lost beneath the frantic sniffing of the suddenly ravenous beast, Izuku's mouth watering as the scent of uncooked meat filled his senses. _**Hungry**_ Reaching out towards one of the cuts he was surprised when Tsuyu pulled it back from his reach, Turning to see her with an unusual hint of mischief glinting in her eyes. Pulling the meat from its packaging she brought both hands up to tear a large piece from the hunk, then held it up towards her boyfriend's mouth with an almost teasing wiggle. _**Adorable/Pleased**_ With a growl Izuku leaned forward to open his mouth wide, the faintest crackle of his quirk at work resulting in his teeth sharpening slightly while his tongue lengthened and waggled slightly. With a giggle the long fingers of the frog girl plopped the chunk of deliciousness into the opening, pulling back just in time as he closed his mouth with an exaggerated snap and began chewing as he playfully glared at her, making a show of messily chewing the meat up. 

The game continued for the rest of the first piece of meat, Tsuyu would feed him a piece and then watch as if entranced as his sharp teeth made short work of the morsels. As they started in on the second one she seemed to get over whatever fascinated her so, or at least enough to start talking again as she tore off another piece. "... Kero, Izuku-chan." Closing his mouth he watched her as she carefully lifted the food up and turned to him, her large eyes blinking as she conveyed the seriousness of her next request. "Will you tell me about what happened between you and Bakugou? And why you reacted that way to Aizawa-sensei. I don't want to push you, but it seemed like something more serious both times."

Her unwavering gaze was offset slightly by her fingers turning the piece of meat in them, almost nervously he thought as he considered her request. _**Lily/Safe/Protect**_ It didn't take him long to come to a decision as he nodded, ducking down to snatch the meat from her fingers with a quick nibble that caused her to let out an uncharacteristic startled squeak. Chewing slowly as he resettled their position on the bed, his tail swung around them to curl on the opposite side. Reaching down towards his sleeve he slowly started rolling it up off of his right arm, the darkened hide along the limb revealing itself... and the deep crack that seemed to have been blown into it. "It... started shortly after I got my quirk. With my... _**Sadness/Fear-bringer/Regret**_ friend." Tsuyu hesitantly lifted one hand then rested against the scar when he nodded, feeling the rough break in the otherwise uniform texture along her fingertips as her boyfriend told her of the unfairness in their world. 

_The sunlight burnt down on the packed dirt of the park, casting harsh shadows beneath the two small figures standing at the edge of the trees. One was bulky with a tail limply wavering behind it, green hair above teary eyes as he cried out and questioned his best friend. The other held his hands out defensively, ash blonde spikes above ~~fearful~~ red eyes, little pops and snaps across the palms lighting up the area. He snarled again as the monster reached out towards him, swinging a hand forward with a scream of anger and a deafening crack of an explosion bigger than any he'd yet produced. "STAY AWAY FROM ME, VILLAIN!" The sound of the other boy falling back and crying in pain brought him back from the fear, looking down to see his best friend cradling a bleeding and burnt arm with tears pouring from his eyes. As he pushed himself to his feet and stumbled away towards the trees, the young Bakugou yelled out after him in a desperate attempt to push the image of a bloody clearing out of his head. "Who the hell would want to be friends with a MONSTER like you. JUST GO AWAY AND-"_

"I would, Kero." The words caught in his throat as his story was interrupted by the firm assertion, tears pricking the corners of his eyes as he turned to meet the earnest eyes. "I want to be friends with you. To help make you happy, like you make me. Kero. He didn't know what he was talking about then, he still doesn't now. So don't worry, my Izuku." The feeling of her hand pulling his up from where it rested in their lap was followed by her carefully threading her fingers with his, leaning back against his chest with eyes closing in total trust. _**Gratitude/Devotion/Happiness**_ The weight in his heart lifted as she relaxed completely against his chest, the gesture soothing a pain he'd all but forgotten in its constant presence. He buried his face against her hair as he nodded, wrapping his arms tighter as she snuggled down and whispered once more to him, a promise made that he believed with all his heart **s**.

"You're not gonna be alone anymore. Kero." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still sticking in there, my lovelies! I can't promise it will be regular or as often as we'd all like, but you will still be getting your doses of Goliath Izuku. :)  
> It isn't explicitly stated, but over the course of the evening Izuku relays pretty much all of his experiences growing up, including most of what Explodey has done to him. I hope this helps give some more depth to it all. Next time! Guess what time it is? BATTLE TIME!!  
> Come and join the Goliath's Nest! https://discord.gg/5RhU3aM


	31. Chapter 31: Meandering Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A green-haired mother takes the hero up on his offer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Or maybe I'll swerve and add an extra dose of Inko/Orca!

**Chapter 31: Meandering Way**

_-Day of the QAT-_

The sound of city life is like discordant music played at maximum volume, and nobody can seem to agree what genre it belongs to. For the Number Ten Hero it was the familiar soundtrack to his career, and Sakamata Kugo was happy to close his eyes and listen to it and the sound of the surf rolling in and out on the pristine beach in front of him. The pro had arrived early for his plans and had decided to enjoy the warmth rising from the sand, seated comfortably on the steps leading down from the walkway towards the waterfront. _"Since Izuku finished cleaning the place up, it really has become a popular spot."_ Sure enough he wasn't the only one present at the newest tourist attraction, several smatterings of people spread across the horizon exploring the former junkyard.

"Kugo-san!" The cheerful greeting brought him back from his musings, turning to see the approaching figure of his jogging partner for the day. Midoriya Inko looked slightly outside of her normal comfort zone, and he couldn't help but blink slightly as he took in the outfit she'd chosen for their walk. A blue T-shirt clung to her form with the glimpse of a darker colored strap hinting at a sports bra, and a pair of tight black leggings highlighting her... womanly figure quite generously as she stepped down onto the stairs he was sitting on with a wide smile. Standing up quickly the cetacean turned with a cough to cover the sudden heat rushing to his cheeks, unable to hide behind the tall collar of his hero costume like he usually would. "Sorry, you haven't been waiting long have you? I-I couldn't decide on what to wear at first." 

"Ahem... It's no bother Inko-san. It's a lovely day anyways." Once he was certain he'd managed to erase any trace of a blush from his face, he turned back to the woman to find her curiously looking out towards the beachgoers. Following her gaze towards the shoreline, he chuckled at the sight of a pair of young children laughing as they ran along the shore. "... It's really a vastly different place now. All thanks to Izuku's hard work." Inko hummed in agreement as she moved to stand beside him at the top of the stairs, content to watch the people going about their lives for a minute or three. Eventually Gang Orca shook himself out of their contemplation, turning to take the stairs up onto the path beside his jogging companion for the day. "As much as we'd no doubt enjoy spending our hours watching the crowds, that would defeat the purpose of inviting you along for exercise." Inko couldn't resist letting out an exasperated mix between a groan and a laugh, but fell into step beside the pro without further complaint as they both strode off down sidewalk.

_-Roughly an hour and a half later-_

Inko was pleasantly surprised when she managed to keep up with the relatively gentle pace Kugo had set, staying at more of a powerwalk rather than really jogging much to her relief. Her confidence had extended only so far as accepting the standing offer the hero had made to her, and she had dreaded the idea that she might somehow embarrass herself in front of the much fitter male. All the worry seemed to be for naught as they crossed a busy intersection amidst the walking crowds, following in the slight space behind the black and white figure as he seemed to effortlessly navigate the human tide. They'd left the beachfront far behind by that point, and their route had led them through residential districts towards the denser downtown areas. 

She could feel the burning in her legs as she focused on keeping her breathing steady, really driving home just how out of shape she'd managed to get over the years, when she suddenly bumped into the broad back leading the way with a squeak of surprise. An arm snaked around her waist to steady her with a firm grip and brought her back to balance, her eyes flicking up to see her companion watching her curiously with only the faintest hint of upturned lips before he spoke. "I didn't mean startle you. I just thought that perhaps something to drink and a chance to rest our feet would be welcome." Following the tilt of his head she saw that they'd stopped in front of a café, several tables set around the entrance a short distance back from crowds parting around them. 

"Ah- Of course! I'd love to!" Once she'd managed to get back on track Inko couldn't help but jump on the chance to take a seat, stopping for longer than a few moments bringing the encroaching soreness to the forefront of her mind. With a hum of acknowledgement Gang Orca led her through the moving people over to one of the tables, removing his hand from her waist once she'd reached one of the seats. Truth be told she hadn't even noticed it until it was gone, and she shivered briefly with a disappointed frown before the feeling passed and she sat with a restrained grunt of discomfort. "Ouch. Looks like I'm worse off than I thought..."

"Don't be too hard on yourself. We've been walking for over an hour straight, anybody would be feeling the strain by now." Glancing inside long enough to make sure that one of the waiting staff acknowledged them, he took the seat opposite the green haired woman. Keeping an eye on her as she caught her breath the hero was reinforced in his idea that she had definitely needed the break, as he'd been trying to make sure he didn't push her too far or hard during their relatively gentle walk. "Besides, unless I'm mistaken you work as a Lawyer, Inko-san. You kept up just fine, and you probably don't need to do a lot of walking in your job." The woman lifted her head up to level a glare at the male, surprising him as she pursed her lips.

"O-oh? You're saying that I'm not supposed to be fit as a lawyer?" Kugo blinked nonplussed a little at the sudden heat in her voice, running back over his words as he apparently offended her. After a few beats of stammered attempts to apologize, the sound of a stifled giggle from the woman accompanied the expression melting off her face. "Mitsuki was right, teasing can be fun!" Watching as she brought both hands up to cover her mouth as she laughed, Kugo couldn't help the uptick in the corner of his mouth. _"... Her laugh is nice to listen to."_ Bringing herself back under control she cleared her throat and smiled back at him. "Don't worry, I know what you meant Kugo-san, and thanks for the compliment. I've been around you enough to know you wouldn't poke at anybody like that."

"Hmph. Like mother, Like son, you both have quite the sense of humor." His smile now in full evidence they both remembered some of the more interesting days spent at his agency, specifically a rather elaborate prank that involved his hero costume and a flower crown that both Izuku and Slick had a hand in. Though the tabloids had quickly moved on after the initial scoop, it was certainly an interesting day spent as a hero in a hot pink suit jacket with a chain of daisies perched on his brow. The infamous 'Flower Gang' incident had greatly amused or confused fans and villains alike, and throwing himself into the spirit of it he'd refused to elaborate or even acknowledge the changes to his costume all day. "I don't need to start checking my wardrobe before work, do I?" 

"Hmmm... No, I don't think I'll take it quite that far. Though you certainly looked dashing in daisies." The compliment was followed shortly after by a coughing blush, and Inko swiftly brought up the small menu as a flimsy shield from her thoughtless compliment. She was so swift in her attempt at hiding her reaction, she _almost_ missed the embarrassed blush the briefly that overtook the white below his cheeks, his head turning as one hand came up to scratch a finger along his neck nervously. _"That is... unfairly cute for a hero like him."_ Her thought process was interrupted as a polite cough brought her attention to the appearance of one of the waitresses, practiced smile in place as she asked them their orders. Scrambling to think of something Inko glanced down quickly at the menu, ordering the first thing that jumped out at her, while the hero calmly requested his own drink along with a large glass of water. 

The conversation waxed and waned as they moved on to various topics, workplace news and various gripes about the state of their respective fields. Their drinks arrived before long and Inko took a sip of the green concoction, surprised to find she actually enjoyed the surprisingly limey taste. Kugo's beverage was a deeper red in nature, but to the surprise of the waitress he first took the glass of water and moved back from the table. Then he proceeded to pour the entirety of the contents over his head ice and all, closing his eyes as the water soaked his skin and rehydrated it. He didn't even seem to notice as the liquid soaked down across his shirt, setting the glass down and scooting his chair back in against the table. Inko tried ever so hard to ignore the view, but being only human couldn't help but watch the fabric cling to the front of her companion's chest, outlining the well defined muscles underneath and leaving her more than a little bit flustered before she could tear her gaze away. "-id very well on the entrance exam, unfortunate incident not withstanding."

Her thoughts snapped back to the conversation in time to catch the tail of his sentence, her brain helpfully supplying that he was most likely talking about her son. "Um, yes he did. Honestly, I couldn't be prouder of my boy. Izuku's always wanted so desperately since he was little to help others. Now he's finally gotten the chance to do so, I just know he's going to be a great hero." Her wide smile faltered a little bit as a memory tugged at her mind, her little boy sitting in front of a computer screen with blood and tears on his face... She shook her head and refocused on the now, looking back up to see Gang Orca watching her quietly with his own little smile before speaking softly. 

"Your son is a wonderful child. He will go on to do amazing things. I imagine his father is just as proud of him." If he was asked why in that moment he had chosen to bring up that particular subject, Sakamata Kugo would find himself unable to find a sufficient answer. Even as the words left his mouth his brain caught up to them, and he coudn't help but internally wince and berate himself at his tactless blunder. _"Spend the day with a beautiful woman, everything's going great, so why don't you just bring up the father of her kid why don't you?"_ His internal admonishment slowed to a stop as he watched Inko's smile fall slightly, the tilt of her lips and distant eyes giving him the distinct sense of- _"Sadness?"_

"... I wouldn't really know if he's proud of him." Her voice was somewhat wistful sounding to the enhanced hearing of the Orca hero, and her hands folded around the base of her drink with ring-less fingers laced together. "I haven't heard from him in nearly a decade or more." The silence following her comment brought her attention back to her listener, smiling at the unasked question in his silence. "Oh, he's not dead. Hisashi just isn't around anymore. Hasn't been for a while." Inko says it simply without a hint of bitterness, steadily meeting his gaze as he listens to every word with his full attention. "I suppose it would have been... the first year of high school when we met. We literally ran into each other in the cafeteria, I accidentally ruined his jacket with the contents of our trays, and he laughed it off before offering to replace mine." 

Kugo was silent as he let her reminisce with a glassy gaze, curiosity warring with his desire to respect her private life for a few brief moments before he settled on letting her speak however much she wanted without pressing, focusing back on her words as she continued. "It wasn't love at first sight or anything silly like that. Really, I think it was just... comfortable. Like a jacket you wear because it feels familiar, we clicked and grew ever closer. Maybe I mistook the comfort of our friendship as something more, and halfway through the year I asked him out. He agreed and we spent the rest of the year in the illusion of love." She brought her drink up to lips for a sip, eyes refocusing back on him curiously, gauging his expression for... something he couldn't quite tell. Apparently finding whatever she was looking for, she set the glass down to keep speaking.

"It wasn't a bad relationship by any means. We had fun, we were close, we enjoyed our time together. Over the summer between years we went to a party, there was drinking involved, and we made a decision that many a young couple make in the heat of the moment." He watched as she leaned back in her chair with a sigh, eyes closed as she told her story to him. "When we got the news, it was quite the eye-opener for us both. Pregnant at seventeen, with an entire year of high school to go! My parents were far from happy, but they never faltered in their support. Hisashi, bless him, hadn't the slightest clue on how to be a father. He was a year older than me and on his way to college, and suddenly his girlfriend was going to have his baby. Not once... Not once did the idea of giving up my baby cross my mind." 

She continued with a strong, steady voice. "I decided to keep moving forward. I carried my baby to term and took a leave from school to give birth to my beautiful boy, keeping up with the curriculum with one hand and taking care of the love of my life with the other. Hisashi tried to be there for him, but quickly found that he couldn't quite keep up with both. When the offer to move to America for a chance to get his career jumpstarted, we parted ways without any bad feelings. I think i always kind of knew I didn't truly love him. There was never that... Spark." Her eyes opened and she sat up suddenly, locking eyes with the startled pro as she smiled widely and serenely. "I've dedicated my life to making sure my boy was taken care of. I went through law school as a single mother with the support of my parents, I spent night after night worrying about how I'd keep everything running. But you know what? I wouldn't trade a single day of it." 

He couldn't say a word as she declared her past with pride, watching as her eyes practically shone in the light from the sun overhead. The sight struck him silent for many moments, the image of her smiling with the sunlight reflecting off the glass in her hands sticking in his mind as he muttered the first passing thought. "You're amazing..." The words were quiet enough that even he would have had to focus to hear them normally, but it seemed that fate had conspired to lull the sounds around them just enough to carry them to her. Inko couldn't help the sudden blush that surged up to her cheeks, all her cool melting away like snow in the heat as she coughed and quickly brought her drink up as she looked anywhere but to the still staring man opposite her. Blinking as he realized he'd been silent for too long, Kugo cleared his throat and brought his own drink up for a deep gulp. 

"You're strong Inko-san, for being able to move forwards without regrets." Gang Orca lets his mind wander a bit as he speaks, memories of his own younger days pushed to the forefront of his mind. Briefly the image of the greenette across the table blurs, overlaid with a different head of green hair and a sharp toothed smile filled with teasing warmth. The sound of the chair scraping cement shatters the memory, Kugo blinking as he looked up to see Inko standing beside her seat and stretching back and forth. Her empty glass sat on the table between them, and she turned to him with a smile and a hand held out to help him up.

"I think we've spent long enough resting, Kugo-san! Let's keep going!" With only a moment's hesitation he reached out to take her hand, a surprisingly strong tug helping to his feet as he brought the last of his dink up to throw it back. Setting the glass down he circled the table to go and pay, waving away her protests when he paid for both of them. With a ~~cute~~ huff she smiled and moved towards the exit of the outdoor seating, the long strides of the pro catching up quickly as they prepared the join the flowing tide once more. "Where are we going next?"

_-Another hour of walking later-_

Inko couldn't remember the last time she'd enjoyed herself this much simply _being_ around somebody, especially when coupled with the steady exertion of their exercise. But something about Kugo just clicked with her, never feeling any sort of pressure from him to fill the silences, or how she somehow knew he was always aware of where she was in regards to himself. She'd tested it once as they walked after she noticed he seemed to be watching her even with his eyes busy, and it was fascinating how he automatically slowed down when she did despite looking across the street at a bickering couple. It really brought to light just how sharp his senses were, and she couldn't help but feel flattered at the attention he paid her. The two of them had just reached the stretch of businesses approaching the edge of the beachfront again, moving towards the inevitable end of their walk together. Inko couldn't help feeling a bit sad at the knowledge that their plans were all but finished, and she found herself trying to come up with ways to extend their time together. Clearing her throat to get his attention as they turned the corner, She nervously began to ask him. "Um, I was wondering if you were busy after this? Maybe we could, um, have dinner at-" 

It happened in a series of snapshots to the woman. One second she was nervously working up the courage to ask the man in front of her to dinner, and the next his eyes had widened in shock and fear. The muffled sound of a shout from her right was eclipsed by the sound of something flying through the air towards her, her head turning as if in a dream to see the body flying directly at her too fast to avoid. Then like a black bullet he was there, moving almost faster than her eyes could consciously track to interpose himself between her and the projectile. With a grunt of effort his right arm wrapped around her waist to spin her around his body, using the momentum of the turn to catch the head and neck of the person flying at them. Spinning to lessen the force behind the sudden stop he crouched down to swoop her low as if dancing, while bracing the unknown figure against the inevitable whiplash of the sudden stop. 

Time seemed to surge to catch up to them both, rushing in with the sudden sound of screaming people running to safety around them. Gasping as she started breathing again she quickly glanced down as Kugo's arm left her waist to catch the rest of his passenger, placing the bright yellow costumed man down onto the ground and checking his pulse before looking down the street where he'd came from. Following the hero's gaze she gasped at the sight of a shattered storefront and the laughing man tossing what looked like some sort of strange smoking weapon to the side, yelling after his victim mockingly. "Call yourself a hero? What kind of pro lets his tools get taken? Get real before you step to Skale!" The black haired villain spat in the direction of the fallen hero, before turning back to the store to step inside and start collecting a fallen bag with yen notes scattered around it.

The scuffing sound beside her told Inko that the large man had stood up, and she turned to watch him stare after the criminal with narrowed eyes. Without turning he spoke to her softly, one hand typing something into his phone at the same time. " **Sorry Inko, I'm going to need you to take care of him for me. I know I'm off duty, but I can't just let that one go.** " The sound of his voice vibrated in her chest, the sudden change in timbre startling and intriguing her in equal measure. Nodding furiously she scrambled over to the downed pro to hook her hands under his arms and drag him towards the building nearby, while the Number ten hero of Japan strode towards the scene of devastation.

Kugo rolled his neck with a resounding popping, bringing his arms up to stretch across his chest as he considered the figure scooping cash into the duffle bag. _"Heavyset, athletic, strong upper body and solid legs. Scales around the eyes, but probably not a mutant type. Emitter or Enhancer, close combat focused. Unlikely he has ranged capability, or he wouldn't have bothered stealing the weapon."_ Slipping his phone into the secured pocket on his belt, he cracked his knuckled as he waited in plain view of the window. _"In short: a perfect matchup."_ He watched as the self proclaimed 'Skale' threw the strap of the bag over his shoulder with a satisfied grunt, turning to leave the scene and coming face to face with the waiting pro. " **Skale, I presume.** "

"Yeah, speaking whale head. You some sort of hotshot wannabe? "The man spat to the side again as he looked him up and down, the hand holding the bag slipping it off and tossing it to the side. "Nah, you look like one of those heroes. It's how you stand. You that number ten guy?" The silence from the cetacean didn't seem to bother the man as he grinned widely, cracking his knuckles as he stepped up to stand less than a foot away from the man and glaring him in the eye. "I been itchin' for a real fight, and these pansy sidewalk scrubbers ain't cuttin' it! How'sabout it, Number ten? Go a couple rounds, winner walks away with the bag or me in cuffs?" Gang Orca raised a brow at the villain's blasé attitude, but internally he was pleased that the situation appeared so straightforward.

" **Since you're so accommodating, how can I refuse?** " His droll response seemed to excite the villain as he brought his hands up with a laugh, cocking one arm back and launching it forwards towards his face in a telegraphed haymaker. Effortlessly the hero caught the fist in one hand, and without missing a beat he pulled towards him as his right fist flew up at an angle to crash into his cheek with the sound of-

_flesh on metal._

Grunting in pain he looked to where his knuckles met a layer of scales coating his skin like armor, and watched as they seemed to grow outwards from the spot like a wave as Skale grinned at him savagely. "Gonna need to do better than that, Hero!" With a yell he grabbed Orca's wrist and yanked him to the side, dislodging them both before Skale rushed at him with heavy straights and hooks from scaled fists. Ducking back and weaving around the vicious strikes, Gang Orca observed how the coating of scales flexed and moved like armor across his opponents skin. He huffed and he deflected a painful left from the brute, lunging forwards with a low-kick to the knee on the same side, grunting loudly when he met more metal before he had to duck back again. "You're a slippery one! Come on, fight me fair and square!" 

The fight quickly fell into a rhythm between them, Kugo would dodge or deflect attacks before launching one of his own, Skale tanking them as he showed off the impressive durability and strength of his quirk. Skale continued to attack with gusto, proving he had at least some training with textbook boxing moves that complimented his quirk quite well. But what the villain didn't know, was that each supposedly ineffective attack from the pro served as another piece of the puzzle. _"He's strong and tough, and those scales are hard. He's got a decent form, and the stamina to keep brawling without losing any of his sharpness... But that's it. His quirk doesn't give him extra strength, and he doesn't have the speed to land a finishing blow."_ Tilting his head to the side he let the armored fist of the boxer glance by his cheek, teeth showing as he grinned fiercely back at the man with the adrenaline of the fight coursing through his veins. _"He's done."_

In the time it took Skale to pull back his arm, Gang Orca had effortlessly followed it back with a punishing left to the face. Unfazed by the clang of flesh on metal he pressed forwards by slipping his hand around the man's head, yanking him forward by the back of it while Skale yelled in surprise at the sudden change in momentum. The yell was suddenly drowned out by a hypersonic screech as Gang Orca let loose his signature shockwave at point blank range, putting just enough power behind it to send his opponent reeling. Following the villain as he staggered back he grabbed the armored left arm and whirled around, roaring in effort as he heaved the heavy figure up and over his shoulder. With a loud crash the scaled man hits the asphalt hard enough to send cracks spiderwebbing outwards from the point of impact, Skale gagging as he spat up saliva and any air in his lungs from the added pain of his armored weight and momentum. 

Straightening from his throw Gang Orca watched the villain shakily attempt to roll over, coughing and groaning as he struggled through the vertigo still affecting him. Kugo relaxed slightly as it became clear that any fight left in the man was gone, moving forwards as he pulled a streamlined version of the quirk suppressing cuffs he always carried on him. The momentary lapse in his guard cost him dearly as he stepped towards the villain, when with a surprisingly quick motion Skale yanked something out from under his shirt to point the gleaming gun between the eyes of the approaching hero. The villain grinned in pain as he blinked away the last of the foggy vision, speaking with difficulty. "Sorry man. Nothing personal. Now back up slowly and I wont have to pull the-" 

It was only Kugo's years of experience and training that allowed him to take in everything in the split seconds it happened, the harsh breaths in his chest painting area around him black and white in his sonar. He 'saw' as the familiar figure of his pupil's mother stood behind and to the side of the villain, her mouth moving as the angry words reached him in time with her hands raising up. "Duck. Left." With a furious yank she pulled towards herself and the gun in the villain's hand jumped in her direction, cutting him off as he yelped and reflexively squeezed. Reflexes honed to a razor's edge kicking in Gang Orca lunged his head aside, the bang of the gun only barely eclipsing the whistle of the bullet tearing through the air inches from his skin. Snapping his arm out he grabbed the wrist of the gunman with everything he had, the snap of bone lost as he lunged forwards and let out a sonic blast that made the last one look quiet in comparison. The asphalt cracked as the wave tore across it, the windows of the building opposite shattering under the vibrations before it faded out. 

Skale's eyes were blank as his jaw went slack, a slight trickle of blood leaking from his ear before he slumped to the ground with a sigh, unconscious at last. Kugo could hear the breath rattling in his chest telling him he hadn't killed him at least, and he swiftly went about securing him with quick practiced movements and the finality of the clicking cuffs. Kicking the gun away from the man he stood up as the adrenaline slowly faded from his system, hands shaking slightly at the unexpected brush with death. The sound of rapid footsteps on the pavement brought his attention up, before a hysterically crying woman crashed into him and hugged him tight enough to crush the air from his lungs. "K-Kugo! I thought you we-were going to get shot! Oh gods t-that was terrifying, he just pulled that gun out and my heart stopped, and i couldnt just lethimshootyouimsorryforusingmyquirkijustneededtomakesureyouweresafeohmygodsimsohappyyou'resafeand-"

" **Haa, haaha. I didn't know it was hereditary.** " His breathless words served to stop the waterfall of speech, though the tears continued unabated as she only cried harder in her embrace. Bringing his hands up to wrap around her, he gently placed one on her head and stroked her hair softly. The feeling of being held so tightly, so close to her drew a surprisingly protective feeling from him, and the deep clicking sound in his chest was as much a necessity as it was instinctual to the male. Slowly he managed to bring her sobs down to choked hiccups, the distant sound of sirens approaching growing every second as he tried to speak with levity. " **So, about** **th** at offer for dinner, Inko. Still open? Because I know a place that serves excellent-" The sudden tug on his shirt cut him off as she pulled herself upwards onto her toes, and him down with a grunt as his words were cut off the softest pair of lips in the world meeting his furiously.

Before his mind could comprehend further than the fact that he was currently kissing the attractive woman in his arms, she pulled away with a fierce look in her eyes. "Nope. My place. I'm cooking you dinner and you are relaxing. No arguments." The whirlwind in his mind was half haywire instincts yelling in triumph, and half awe of the undeniable steel hidden in her voice as she glared at him, daring him to argue with her. He didn't bother to hide the wide foolish grin his mouth quirked up into, and if he squeaked happily as his arms tugged her tighter for a moment and nodded, well, nobody would believe you. As the screech of brakes announced the arrival of the police, and the no doubt tiring amount of procedure and paperwork awaiting him, he couldn't find it in him to care.

After all, he had a date to get to tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyya Ducklings! Have another chapter! I know I said next time Battle, but I decided that we needed more parental romance fluff!  
> I'm gonna aim to have the next chapter out BEFORE Halloween! :) I know I'm not nearly as consistent as I used to be, but I'm so very thankful you all stick with me all the same.  
> Plus Ultra, Ao3!!


	32. Chapter 32: Hindsight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Highschool waits for no man. Now its time for Day two, and a trial by fire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *The careful sounds of painstakingly written fanfictions in the work are broken only by the arrival of a smol chapter.*  
> Hiya Ducklings! Did somebody order the prelude to the Battle Trials?  
> I think I failed the by Halloween date... sorry about that! Let's just leave it at I'm a mess, and hopefully you can forgive me for it.  
> I hope this makes up for the wait, Have a Chapter!  
> P.S. I actually realized that I never mentioned it, Inko is ten years younger than canon in this AU. Just to give some reference for the timeline she gave last chapter.

**Chapter 32: Hindsight**

Izuku's eyes slid open to a darkened room, consciousness returning quickly and without much fuss. Unlike most mornings he wasn't sluggish or having any trouble remembering where he was or what had happened, which confused him greatly as he couldn't remember the last time he'd woken up feeling so rested. _"I feel ridiculously comfortable right now. What the heck changed since last... night..... Oh."_ His thoughts trailed off into nothing as the weight in his arms registered in his mind, and his gaze slid down to see **_His Lily_** 's hair just below his chin. The soft sounds of her breathing resonated in his ears, while a surprised inhale painted the picture of their soft embrace. His body was curled around hers with one arm acting as a pillow for the frog girl with the other across her waist to rest light on her belly, while her back was pressed to his chest and his tail curled up and over her legs to be clutched gently in one of her hands. _**Bliss/Comfort/Love**_

He knew that he should probably be freaking out about the fact that he'd apparently been sleeping with his girlfriend, but in truth he just couldn't work up enough embarrassment to break through the comforting warmth holding her close brought him. Without a second thought his arms tightened around her, drawing a soft croak from the girl that sounded distinctly pleased. Glancing over her head towards his alarm clock, he blinked blearily at the glowing numbers staring back at him. _"We must have fallen asleep after I told her all that. Four in the morning... we slept for a long time." **Lily/Worry/Dryness**_ He blinked as he registered the sudden intrusion of his tailmind, but quickly realized what it had been referring to when he moved the arm that rested across her waist. The spot where his skin met hers was dry to the touch, and he quickly brought his hand up to confirm that Tsuyu was indeed much drier than usual. 

_"Oh, DRAT! Tsu-chan mentioned that she usually sleeps with a humidifier to help keep her skin moist. **Chagrin/Shame** She stayed here for me, and now she's drying out because of it." _The sudden surge of guilt built in his chest, his tail uncurling from around her as he moved to carefully stand up. Strong fingers tightening their grip on the appendage stopped him cold, Izuku freezing when he heard a murmur of discontent from the sleeping beauty beside him. Glancing back down he could see as her slumbering face had creased into the slightest of frowns, which only lightened when he ceased attempting to pull away from her grasp. The warmth that shot up through his chest and neck pooled in his cheeks, the blush overtaking him as he carefully maneuvered around her body look over the edge of the bed without waking her. _"Pretty sure Tsu-chan placed her bag right- Ah!"_

Reaching out and snagging the article from where it leaned against the front of his desk, he bought it back up and began patting the pockets down to find her room key. Slipping it into his own pocket he carefully began the process of collecting his girlfriend's belongings and putting them together with the bag. Once he'd gotten it all Izuku painstakingly pulled himself off the bed to crouch beside it, and with the utmost of care he slipped both of his arms under Tsuyu's shoulders and legs to lift her. With only a murmur the frog girl released her grip on his tail to cuddle into his chest, wiggling slightly before settling with a sigh into the princess carry the blushing boy cradles her in. _"S- **Soft.** " _Vehemently shaking away the inappropriate thoughts Izuku stood up to his full height, pausing only long enough to snag her stuff before making his way out of the room with a click of the door.

Padding through the silent halls of the dorm was an interesting experience, his eyes ensuring that he could see pretty much everything as his feet sunk into the carpet with every muffled step. There was a brief moment on the staircase when Tsuyu had stirred in his arms, nearly causing him to stumble at the unexpected motion with a quiet yelp, but Izuku managed to arrive at the commons area with both of them intact. Stalking through the doorway into the dark room he made his way towards the girl's side of the room, glancing around at the peaceful area with its couches, tables, Tokoyami sitting quietly with a mug, the lights visible outside the windows, the- "...Eh?"

Izuku froze in place with one leg up mid-step, as he slowly turned towards the kitchen to lock eyes with the equally startled Avian headed boy. Sitting at one of the tables in a set of dark pajamas the teen had paused with his drink halfway to his beak, while opposite him the shadowy form of his quirk nearly blended into the dark as it blinked glowing yellow eyes in his direction. Izuku sweatdropped as they stared at each other for a couple seconds, idly noting that Dark Shadow had its own scent _**Dark Places/Pine needles?**_ that was similar and yet different from Tokoyami's.

. . . . .

The silent standoff lasted until the birdlike boy nodded amicably in his direction and turned back to his drink, while Dark Shadow grinned and shot a double thumbs up towards Izuku. With a nervous smile he nodded back and continued on his way, slipping into the stairwell for the girl's side without further incident. _"Huh, I guess Tokoyami-kun is a night person. **Interest/Curious** Is it just me or did Dark Shadow seem bigger than before though?" _His tail twitching he compared his memories of the sentient quirk as he steadily climbed up through the floors, an unconscious rumbling rolling through his chest as he felt Tsuyu cuddle closer to him. Unbeknownst to the boy in his distraction the girl had been awake for a short time already, her eyes cracking open sometime during the stare down with the birds below before closing again.

_"Kero. It's kind of nice waking up in Izuku-chan's arms. Would have been better if we were still in bed though..."_ Despite her internal grumbles she couldn't help but snuggle down in her boyfriend's grip, the almost sinfully comfortable grip readjusting automatically as she moved. With her eyes closed she couldn't really see where they were but the gentle rise and fall of his gait told her he was on the stairs, a choice she wholeheartedly appreciated for the extra time she got to spend in her position. Unfortunately the universe dictates that all good things must come to an end, and all too soon they'd arrived at her door on the fifth floor and come to a stop. Showing off his impressive strength Izuku shifted her weight to the arm tucked under her back, bracing her legs with the hand holding her bag as he fished out her key. Deciding now was as good a time as any, Tsuyu let out a soft croak and leaned up to plant a soft kiss on his cheek before he could react. "Kero." 

"Tsu-chan! _**Joy/Pleasure** " _Izuku flinched slightly from the unexpected smooch, though to his credit it only really affected his head and shoulders. Tsuyu noted interestedly that she didn't feel a single jolt, despite startling him. "I d-didn't know you were awake. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you if I did." Apology notwithstanding Izuku couldn't stop his tail from wagging back and forth behind him, narrowly avoiding knocking against the walls while he finished snagging her key from his pocket. Inserting it into the lock and twisting he pulled the door open beside them, retrieving the metal entry apparatus and slipping into the darkness beyond. The adorably frog-themed room greeted him in the weak light, and he quickly made his way over towards the bed to deposit his precious cargo with a grumble of discontent from the girl.

Tsuyu watched the tall boy as he puttered around her room, placing her bag and key back onto her desk before hunting down her humidifier and preparing it. The thoughtfulness was touching to her, especially when she considered that she could only remember mentioning her sleeping arrangements only once in a passing conversation through text. _"He really remembered something I brought up before we were even dating... why is he so perfect sometimes? Kero Kero."_ Hearing the soft hum of the machine starting up she saw Izuku glancing around as if to check he'd done everything correctly, his tail twitching back and forth with an earnest expression lighting up his adorably attractive face, and before she could second guess herself she called out to him softly. "Izuku-chan?" 

Izuku turned to look at the sound of his girlfriends voice, tilting his head in a way the reminded the girl so much of a puppy who's been called. A series of gentle croaks left her as she scooted back on the bed, patting the space beside her and blinking pleadingly at him. "Kero. . . Stay here with me? At least for a little while longer?" Any and every hint of resistance to the idea vanished from him when his eyes met hers, even the worry and embarrassment of potentially being found on the girl's side of the dorm melting away. Without hesitating he moved to crawl up into the bed beside her rumbling happily, the sound quickly joined by long pleased croaking with Tsuyu snuggled tightly against his chest. His eyes slowly slid shut, and his tail wrapped back around the girl as his mind started drifting again, content in the embrace of _**His Lily**_.

_-x-_

Turns out humoring a girlfriend's request was dangerous to the efforts of returning to the boy's side before dawn, and Izuku barely managed to sneak out of the girl's side when he'd been awakened by the ringing of his phone alarm. A quick hug to Tsuyu later and he'd hurried back to his side to get ready for day two of high school, through some deity's grace managing to avoid not only being caught but also the lecturing of the blue-haired robot on the importance of timely preparation. Despite the rather hectic start to his day Izuku now sat easily at his desk, chatting amicably to the unlikely group of teens that he was slowly beginning to call his friends. When he'd arrived and first sat he'd noticed as the other gentle giant of the room had stood and approached, Shoji stopping beside his desk and forming a mouth from the end of one limb.

"Midoriya-san, I'm glad you seem to be feeling better. You ran off quickly yesterday." Izuku couldn't help but flinch at the reminder, a fact that didn't go unnoticed by the other boy who's visible eye seemed to soften before continuing. "I won't ask if you're alright, I don't think that would help much..." Shifting slightly Shoji turned his head to look at directly, a slightly awkward hunch to his posture tipping the monstrous boy off on _**Embarrassment/Hesitation**_ his mood. "... It might not mean much, but I want you to know that I think you did the right thing by standing your ground yesterday. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask, alright?" The last sentence was almost whispered, spoken not from the mouth that was visible but instead emerging from behind the mask, almost too quiet for anyone but him to hear. The sincerity in the other teen's voice caught in his throat, and Izuku had to struggle to choke back the sudden emotions. Try as he might though a few tears escaped his grasp, an arm quickly brought up to wipe them away removing the evidence while Shoji waited patiently. Unable to speak properly yet Izuku just nodded fervently, a response that luckily his newfound friend seemed to understand well enough.

The sound of the door opening brought the two of them out of the moment, and conversation had quickly moved to far less emotional topics that Tsuyu and even Uraraka had joined in on as class moved ever closer. Not even Bakugou arriving to the desk in front of him could sour the mood, his scoff ignored in favor of focusing on the warm feelings of belonging the group around him were creating. _**Threat/Predator**_ At least until the sudden surge of a presence on the other side of the door broke off his sentence mid-word, his mouth snapping shut as he hunched down into the seat a bit. Before any of the others could ask him what was wrong, the portal slid open to reveal the tired face of their homeroom teacher who promptly entered and strode towards the podium while his students hurried to their seats.

Aizawa Shota had been a hero for many years at this point, so it stood to reason he was well acquainted with the art of reading a room and the feeling of antagonism. Despite this fact he still found himself surprised when he arrived to his class to find that the air was filled with a poorly hidden tension, the feeling of his students' eyes on him not entirely those of teens eager to lean or even the lazy ones who'd rather be anywhere else. Hiding the fact his shoulders had tensed he turned to look out over the students, cataloguing the gazes that stood out to him as he began with homeroom on autopilot. _"Seat two and three, Ashido and Asui. Glaring and a sense of dislike respectively. Seat five, Uraraka, Discomfort. Eleven, Shoji, chilly. Fourteen, Tokoyami, Wary. Eighteen, Mido-"_

As his eyes had roved between the students and landed on the greenette he couldn't miss the flinch of the boy as he looked away from him quickly, nor could he overlook the way his shoulders hunched up and his tail twitched involuntarily. Only his long practice at operating under pressure saved him from stuttering his announcements of their classes, his mind going into overdrive as he tried to figure out what could have prompted such a reaction from the boy. _"....shit. He really took what I said to heart, didn't he."_ It wasn't really a question in his mind, and Shota could kick himself for not having seen it yesterday. _"Great job. Day one, instead of lighting a fire under them you managed to alienate a quarter of your class."_ Quite frankly the more he thought about it, the more he couldn't avoid the fact that he appeared to have royally screwed up. 

Flicking back across the others he watched how each of them had reacted to Midoriya flinching, from Asui's clenched hand to Shoji's narrowed eyes and Tokoyami's hunched shoulders. Ashido's glare had deepened as she frowned severely, and Uraraka looked like she'd rather be anywhere else. The weight of their stares felt like a hundred heavy stones settling in the professional's gut, and he quickly wrapped up by informing them that English was their first class. The sound of the door sliding open to an annoyingly loud cockatiel was the perfect cover to escape, slipping out past the blonde and nudging the door shut behind him. Shota sighed and leaned back against the classroom door and closed his eyes, the same door that he'd felt so proud to walk through when he'd finally made it. Eraserhead listened to the sounds of his best friend's enthusiastic teaching for a few more moments before pushing off, turning to make his way through the hallways with a sinking feeling beginning to grow in his gut at memory of the distrustful looks in innocent eyes.

-x-

U.A. High school was the most prestigious hero course in Japan, known far and wide for the many famous Pro-Heroes who'd passed through its halls. What people didn't know about U.A. and its classes, was that it was... _"Normal. All these classes feel super normal."_ Izuku was almost pleasantly surprised by just how routine the course seemed to be, if you ignored the fact that every class was being taught by a pro-hero mind you. _**Eager/Content**_ From English with Present Mic and Math with Ectoplasm, all the way to Modern Literature with Cementoss and Hero Art History with Midnight (and wasn't _that_ an experience in and of itself), Izuku was in pro-hero heaven. He'd even managed to snag a couple autographs from his teachers, signatures sitting proudly in the latest of many small notebooks he used to analyze his favorite heroes. 

Lunch was a glorious smorgasbord with a world-class cooking hero on staff, and Izuku was able to pile his plate high with delicious fare that had his tail wagging much to the amusement of his companions at the table. Seated comfortably beside Tsuyu, Izuku had been moderately surprised as Shoji and Ashido had sat opposite him, nodding quietly and shouting an enthusiastic greeting respectively as they started to eat. Uraraka, Iida, and even a brooding Tokoyami had joined soon after, filling the seats around the table as they chatted and ate. At present the pink alien was excitedly predicting the most anticipated class on their schedule. "Foundational Heroics! It's gonna be awesome, no matter what Grumpy McSleepingBag-sensei says!" Izuku couldnt help but snort at her nickname for the tired hero, tamping down the unease that rose at the thought of him as she continued with a waving arm. "But our schedules don't have a teacher written down. All the others do except that one, it's just blank! Who do you guys think is gonna teach it?" 

"Perhaps it's a hero that doesn't get much spotlight time." Shoji's measured response was night and day to the exuberant girl beside him, his limbs performing the interesting task of eating his food through an extra mouth while another spoke. "It might make sense they wouldn't advertise them in that case." Uraraka nodded as Iida pushed his glasses up, contemplating before answering with a hand chop. 

"If that is the case, then perhaps it is a newly debuted hero! Somebody who has gone straight from their schooling into a teaching position! Regardless, I can only hope that U.A. has chosen their teachers well, so that we can receive only the utmost height of education!" Izuku had to stifle a chuckle at the uptight boy's earnestness, while Mina, Uraraka, and Tsuyu giggled and croaked in amusement. Across from the robotic teen, Tokoyami shook his head and scooped another bite of his curry up to his mouth with a mutter.

"What a mad banquet of darkness." His statement only set off another round of laughter and giggles from the table, before subjects passed back around to the generic talk of children attending a highschool. Izuku grabbed another chunk of the steak and chewed on it thoughtfully, his tail flicking over to wrap around Tsuyu's legs occasionally. _"I kind of wish it could have been Sakamata-sensei. **Eager/Fondness/Happiness** I think everybody would enjoy his teach. If they don't mind getting thrown around a bit." _In his mind he could feel as his quirk fidgeted and shuffled, the plethora of food and the promise of _**Thrill/Hunting/Fight**_ excitement agitating his tailmind and by extension hyping himself up to boot. A strange sense of anticipation filled the boy, a feeling like a rumbling stormfront about to break causing him to growl deep in his chest, skin rippling while hide seemed to crackle and shift across his shoulders. 

The sensation of a hand closing on his brought him back from his musings, turning to see Tsuyu watching him closely. When his eyes met hers he could see the barest curve of her lips, the equivalent of a reassuring smile to the boy as she squeezed his fingers with hers. Huffing happily he flipped his hand over to twine his fingers with hers, using his free one to continue shoveling the delicious food into his mouth. _"Whatever's coming, Whatever will happen, I just need to remember my training. I'm not alone anymore. We're going to be heroes! **Pride/Exhilarated** "_

_-x-_

Sitting at his desk in the faculty room Toshinori Yagi stared thoughtfully at the closed door, the now two cups of tea, one empty the other full, resting on the table beside the couches nearby all that was left of an offer from a Hero to a Pupil. The hero better known as All Might stood and moved towards his own office to get changed, pulling on the gaudy costume of his heyday while running through the words of the boy his estranged friend had so vigorously recommended...

_"Eh? You won't?" Yagi blinked at the student opposite him, the tea forgotten as he gaped in surprise. The blonde boy brought his hand up to rub at the back of his head as he laughed nervously, eyes closed and a million watt smile across his face._

_"Sorry, All Might-sensei. I don't think I can accept your offer after all." Opening his eyes he locked them onto the number one hero, communicating his seriousness with a solemn smile. "I'm honored that you considered me as a successor, truly I am... But I'm going to be a hero, with my own power. I know that Sir probably pushed you into meeting me, and I'm grateful you think I can be what this world needs, but I'm in my third year at U.A. I've come so far, worked so hard to master this power of mine, I don't think I could call myself the kind of hero I want to be if I accepted your quirk." Throwing back the rest of the tea in his cup he gently set it down, before standing up and moving to bow respectfully at the waist. "So I respectfully decline your offer, All Might! Thank you for thinking I was worthy!"_

The click of his bracer completing his costume brought him back to the present, and Yagi shook his head as he refocused with a grunt. "Togata Mirio... Truly he has the heart of a hero. I suppose Mirai was correct about that much at least..." Shrugging off the gloomy thoughts of the rejection, All Might grunted as his muscles swelled and bulged to fill the costume. Striding through the halls at a quick pace he approached his first class as a teacher, running through the plan he'd created the night before. _"I suppose it truly will come down to the new generation. I hope that I can find somebody just as worthy here."_ Coming to a stop outside his old classroom, he could feel his grin widen as he heard the excited talking inside from the eager students. _"Show time."_ With a deep inhale, he shouted out as he yanked the door open.

**"I AM! COMING THROUGH THE DOOR LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!"**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There we go! Progression, Regret, and an Offer denied! Will Aizawa find a way to fix his mistakes? With Mirio off the board as a candidate, what will All Might do to find a successor? Find out some time in the future, on MH:G!
> 
> Seriously though, I hope everybody is still enjoying the story. I know I'm not the most reliable for getting them to you in a timely manner, but I will try my damndest to make sure they're worth it. Hope everybody is staying safe and that life is treating you all well.  
> Plus Ultra, my Ducklings!


	33. Chapter 33: Legacy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Battle trials, Passing the torch, and a powder keg of emotions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Thanksgiving, any Ducklings who celebrate it! Here's a chapter for you all!
> 
> Also, holy heck Batman, When did we cross 1600 kudos? As of posting this, we're at 1628! I am once again flabbergasted an honored at how many people support this work. Each and every one of you are the real heroes to me!  
> So without further ado, have the opening to the Trials!

**Chapter 33: Legacy**

**"I AM! COMING THROUGH THE DOOR LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!"**

The slamming of the door snatched everybody's attention towards the larger than life figure leaning in, cape billowing dramatically in a non-existent wind as All Might himself stood in the entrance. Izuku had been moments before checking over his notes from the literature class earlier, listening idly to the speculative whispers of his classmates before the exuberant shout burst onto the scene. The Number One hero of Japan held the pose for a few more seconds as the students began to gush over his appearance, before exuberantly striding into the room towards the podium and placing both fists on his hips.

"It's All Might!" Kaminari excitedly exclaimed, Kirishima pumping his fist as he followed up.

"He's really gonna be a teacher here! I thought it was just a rumor! Manly!"

"Isn't that a costume from his Silver Age, Kero?" Tsuyu placed a finger onto her cheek as the hero's seemingly permanent smile stretched wider, the rest of the teens murmuring amongst themselves excitedly. For his part Izuku was equally happy to see the hero, even if he wasn't fanboying as hard as he might have once. That didn't stop his tail from wagging back and forth behind him like an excited puppy's, despite his previous with experience with Pros numbing it slightly. _"Even if he's not my favorite anymore, it's still_ All Might _! **Excitement/Joy/Rush** How could I not be excited??" _

" **I TEACH FOUNDATIONAL HEROICS! A SUBJECT WHERE YOU LEARN THE VERY BASICS OF BEING A HERO! THIS WILL BE WHERE YOUR TRU TESTS LIE!"** All Might brought his arms up into a muscleman flex and turned around, hiding the fact that he was reaching into one of his pouches to pull out a card. **"TODAY WE'RE JUMPING IN FEET FIRST,** **WITH-"** Whipping it around to show the class, bright red letters spelling out Battle clear to see as he continued. **"COMBAT TRAINING"** The response was instant with the students in an eager uproar, and Izuku could smell the scent of burnt sugar from in front of him, bringing back memories of _**Pain/Anger/Fear** _worse days before he managed to shake it off and keep listening. **"OF COURSE, TO GO ALONG WITH THIS WE HAVE THESE!"** With a flourish he gestured towards the nearby wall and pressed a hidden button beneath the podium, causing several racks displaying large numbered cases to emerge with a soft hiss.

 **"THESE ARE THE COSTUMES MADE BASED ON YOUR QUIRK REGISTRATIONS, AND ANY REQUESTS YOU SENT IN BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED!"** Speaking over the shouting the hero gestured towards the costumes, grinning before turning towards the door and swaggering away. **"ONCE YOU'VE CHANGED, MEET ME AT THE ENTRANCE TO GROUND EPSILON! IT'S TIME YOUR TRAINING BEGINS!"** The moment his cape cleared the doorway was the signal for everybody to rush forward, moving in a bizarre organized chaos to claim their cases and hurry after him. Izuku waited until after the initial rush was through to stand up and hurry over, snagging both his and Tsuyu's case in each hand on his way to her. The girl's face gave little away to an outward observer but not to Izuku, and the teen could feel her hand squeeze his with a soft croak before he let go of the handle. Following along behind the heroic horde of hopeful youth, the two hurried towards the changing rooms.

Setting the case down across the bench beside him almost reverently, Izuku couldn't help the full bodied shiver that shook his frame from head to tail. _"I know it's real, I'm really here. But it just feels so... **Pride/Disbelief/Eager/Doubt** So fantastical." _Reaching out with shaking hands he rested them across the latches, taking a deep breath before popping them up and slowly lifting the lid. The scent of leather and a faint hint of sea air filled the air around him, flashes of grey, black, and red inside drawing a giddy smile to his face, and his mind was thrown back to just before moving day...

_-Two days before moving day-_

"Huh? A gift for me?" Izuku's head tilted to the side in surprise as he followed the broad back of his mentor into the agency, pausing to greet the receptionist with a wave and a smile before hurrying to catch up. Gang Orca chuckled softly at his antics, leading them towards his office. The setting sunlight shone down at a slant through the large window, sending their shadows dancing as he moved behind his desk with a hand held out to stop his protégé.

"Of course. You didn't think we'd send you off with a 'graduation' gift, did you?" His voice full of amusement Sakamata reached down to lift a cloth wrapped package up from beneath the lip of the desk, weighing it in his hand as he moved back to stand before the teen. "It's really nothing too extravagant, and a far cry from the wild party that Slim wanted to throw you, but its something that each of us contributed to in our own way." He held the amorphous item out to Izuku, bringing one hand up to scratch the side of his neck somewhat embarrassedly and cleared his throat. "I... didn't know if you had something in mind already, but I thought perhaps you might like something to help remind you of where you came from. And what you've got to prove."

Izuku stared down at the cloth in his hands with _**excitement/trepidation/joy**_ , turning to set it on the desk with eager hands. Unraveling the simple string holding the parcel together he pulled the covering back, unwrapping the article hidden within to catch the golden rays of light as he lifted it free. Held in his hands was a heavy leather bomber jacket, slate grey in the same color as his hide with a soft white fur collar. Running his hand along the material he couldn't tell if it was real or not, and he continued down across the shoulders where several symmetrical raised strips of leather stood out in red against the grey. On the right arm he could see clearly an exquisitely made patch, depicting a stylized portrait of his transformed state looking over his shoulder mid-roar. Feeling the tears welling up in his eyes he looked down the front of the beautiful and rugged garment, spying another patch across the right breast of Goliath's hand stylized like the last, with several words embroidered around it that he sounded out slowly. "H-He-Heros Et, Mon-Monstrum Sum?"

"Heros Et Monstrum Sum ( _hair-ose et mone-stroom soom)_." Gang Orca spoke softly to correct him, watching on with an unusually nervous smile for the hero. "It's Latin. It means... 'I am a Hero, and a Monster.'" He watched as one of the boy's hands lifted to rest his fingers across the patch, the hero clicking softly in worry as Izuku's head bowed slightly. "If its something you'd rather not be reminded of, I can have it removed before classes begin, but the jacket is made to the standards of professional hero gear, so it should be-" His words sped up the longer the teen was silent, until he was cut off by Izuku suddenly lunging across the room to wrap his arms around him. Startled by the move Kugo quickly brought his hands up, then back down to wrap around his shoulders as he heard whispered words against his chest.

"Thank you, Thank you, its more than perfect, Thank you so much Sakamata-sensei. You've given me the chance to be a hero, thank you Thank you." The words came quickly along with strangled sobs, his shoulders shaking beneath the black and white man's hands. A steady clicking sound filled the room like a soothing song, and one hand lifted up to pat his unruly curls reassuringly with a chuckle. 

" **I didn't give you the chance. You were always good enough to be one. You just needed a little help to see that."** His dual-timbre voice echoed through the room, Izuku laughing as he shook his head in token denial. The two of them hugged for another minute or so before the boy stepped back, tail twitching awkwardly as he began to stutter out apologies which were promptly waved away. Neither of them seemed to notice the happy clicking or tail wagging the other couldn't seem to stop, and Sakamata turned back to the package with a gesture to continue. "That's not all, you'll need more to wear than just a jacket after all."

_-Present-_

Izuku straightened the arm of his jacket and fluffed up the collar (which he'd learned only felt like fur and was artificial), and strode proudly out from the mouth of the tunnel into the light beyond. Around him his classmates stood resplendent in their costumes, and the boy quickly followed the familiar scent trails over towards his friends. Uraraka noticed the boy first with a smile and a wave, practically bouncing over to him in her skin-tight space suit. "Midoriya-kun, you made it after all. Wow, you look so cool!!" Izuku lifted one hand up to rub the back of his head abashedly, the jacket falling open further to reveal the rest of his outfit. 

Underneath the open bomber jacket the teen wore one of the tight tank-tops from his mentor, this one patterned black and orange in a manner similar to an orca's head coloration, leaving his stomach covered by orange and chest by black with two patches of orange leading up towards his shoulders. Below that he wore a pair of heavy-duty cargo shorts in the same black and slate color as the jacket, with a single stripe of the red color leading down either side. His legs were bare of the red sneakers he usually wore, instead relying on partially transformed feet to give him traction and protection. Izuku laughed at the compliments, tail wagging back and forth happily. "It was a gift from my trainer before school. _**Pride/Happy**_ He even made sure it was all woven with strands of my hair through his professional contacts, meaning that even i-if I transform in the costume it will change with me!" A wolf whistle from beyond the girl drew his attention where Ashido was giving him a grin and winking, while beside her Shoji simply nodded towards him and Tokoyami... brooded in his cloak.

"Kero... You're hot, Izuku-chan." The bland declaration from behind him held a world of emotion beneath surface that sent heat rushing to the teen's cheeks, and he turned to answer her- Only for his mind to come to a crashing halt at the sight of her in a wet suit that did absolute wonders for the girl's figure. _**Lily/Lily/Frog/Lily/Delicious**_ His brain struggled to start back up as he just stared with an open mouth, Tsuyu tilting her head with one finger to her cheek and only the faintest hint of a blush on her face. "Are you okay, Izuku-chan? Kero!" Even to the others gathered nearby the teasing tone of the froggy girl was obvious, and to the monster boy it was just fuel to add to the burning wreck of his mind as he stuttered out a mangled, squeaking semblance of a response. Luckily or unluckily as fate would have it, the flustered boy was saved by All Might calling the group to order.

 **"ALRIGHT THEN, YOU ZYGOTES... LETS GET STARTED!"** The Hero's powerful voice cut through the chatter and drew them all in to stand in a rough group in front of the man, Izuku quickly taking the out to smile nervously at Tsuyu and slip into line. Croaking in amusement the girl simply slid up beside him, smiling internally as she felt his tail unconsciously curl around her legs. Tuning back in as All Might began explaining the lesson, she watched as he readily answered the question from the knight with mufflers. **"MOST OF THE TIME VILLAIN BATTLES TAKE PLACE OUTSIDE, ITS TRUE. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, THE MOST DASTARDLY VILLAINS APPEAR INDOORS MORE FREQUENTLY!"** Sweeping his hand grandly to indicate the city behind him, the class took in the wide variety of buildings present in the zones. **"IMPRISONMENT, HOUSE ARREST, BACKROOM DEALS, OR EVEN KIDNAPPINGS! IN THIS SOCIETY FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH HEROES, TRULY INTELLIGENT VILLAINS HIDE AWAY IN THE SHADOWS!"**

Izuku couldn't help the shiver that ran up his spine as All Might mentioned kidnappings, the memories of his ordeal _**anger/fear/Pain**_ flitting about behind his eyes before he gave himself a shake. Beside him Tsuyu glanced up to him, then leaned against his side to let his tail tighten around her. Continuing on his explanation spiel the large man went on to explain that each of them would be paired up in teams of two to take on another team, and the frog girl couldn't help but interject with a concern. "Without basic training?" 

**"THIS IS A BATTLE TO UNDERSTAND THOSE BASICS! HOWEVER!!"** Lifting up one finger, he wagged it back and forth with a slightly more severe smile. **"UNLIKE WITH A ROBOT, YOU CAN'T SIMPLY BEAT IT UP AND HOPE FOR THE BEST! KEEP THAT IN MIND!"** A slew of questions started to pour from his audience faster with each successive voice, and a barely visible sweat drop slipped down his head as he flared both hands outwards to quiet them. **"I WILL ATTEMPT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS!"** Slipping a small booklet from his utility belt, he cleared his throat and began reading from the handy script. **"THE SITUATION IS FOLLOWS: THE VILLAINS HAVE SEQUESTERED THEMSELVES IN ONE OF FIVE DIFFERENT HIDEOUTS WITH A NUCLEAR WEAPON! THE HEROES' JOB IS TO INFILTRATE THE HIDEOUT, AND EITHER CAPTURE THE VILLAIN TEAM USING THEIR PROVIDED CAPTURE TAPE, OR RECOVER THE WEAPON BY LAYING AT LEAST AN ENTIRE HAND ON IT! STOP READING HERE... ER."**

A couple of scattered laughs were followed by an abashed cough, before the pro hurried back into stride by pulling out two massive boxes labeled 'Heroes' and 'Villains', along with a third simply marked 'Lots' in english. **"WE WILL BE SELECTING TEAMS BY DRAWING LOTS, TO HELP SIMULATE TEAMING UP ON THE FLY!"** All Might noticed that as he finished the sentence the Iida heir's hand ceased its inevitable rise, sending a mental thankyou to the hero he'd asked for help planning a lesson. **"NOW THEN! LET US DRAW! IN SEATING ORDER TO KEEP IT NEAT!"** Holding the lots box out in front of him, the students quickly began cycling through and pulling small bingo balls with letters on them. 

Izuku pulled the small orb from the box with only a little bit of difficulty, rolling it around between his fingers to reveal the A symbol. Glancing over at Tsuyu's H he couldn't help but huff slightly in disappointment, though it was quickly overtaken by relief when her partner turned out to be the well armed Shoji. _"I'm just glad she wasn't stuck with **Fear-bringer** Bakugou. Now who is my part...ner..." _His thoughts trailed off as he turned to find the very recognizable figure of Yaoyorozu, the girl standing behind him holding an A out with a composed smile. But what really threw him for a loop was how... little her costume covered, his brow furrowing slightly before his eyes firmly planted themselves on her face. "Y-Yaoyorozu-san, right?"

"Ah, yes! You're Midoriya Izuku, correct? I look forward to working with you!" The girl started when he'd first spoken, but quickly reverted back to her noticeably proper speech before giving a bow. Scratching his head as he laughed nervously Izuku moved to stand beside his partner, his distraction keeping him from noticing the visible frown on the face of the greenette behind him as she took in the red leotard of the heiress. **"AND THATS THE TEAMS, TAKE A LOOK HERE IF YOU HAVEN'T FOUND YOUR PARTNER YET!"** Turning back towards the front they both saw as All Might held out a small holographic device, a large screen appearing above him palm to reveal the list of teams:

**Team A: Midoriya Izuku and Yaoyorozu Momo**

**Team B: Aoyama Yuga and Sato Rikido**

**Team C: Fumikage Tokoyami and Minoru Mineta**

**Team D: Bakugou Katsuki and Hagakure Tooru**

**Team E: Todoroki Shoto and Kaminari Denki**

**Team F: Kirishima Eijirou and Jiro Kyoka**

**Team G: Koda Koji and Uraraka Ochako**

**Team H: Shoji Mezo and Asui Tsuyu**

**Team I: Iida Tenya and Ashido Mina**

**Team J: Sero Hanta and Ojiro Mashirao**

Clicking the small device again he slipped it back into one of the pouches hidden behind his belt, and All Might grinned excitedly as he slipped both hands down into the black and white boxes beside him. **"NOW ITS TIME TO DECIDE THE MATCHUPS. SO GET READY, BECAUSE FIRST UP AAAAARE! THESE TEAMS!!"** Whipping his hands up and across his chest he revealed a black ball sporting a bold white A declaring the villains, and Izuku couldn't help the internal wince at the thought of being the bad guys. But the surge of eager adrenaline that coursed through his body more than made up for it, his tailmind practically frolicking in _**joy/eager/fight/hunt!**_ delight at the thought of the coming conflict. But when he looked over to the white ball showing their opponents, the fire in his belly was doused with a cold rush of _dread_ _ **FOE,**_ anger _ **HATE,**_ and _**F** E **A** R **-**_ _ **BRINGER**_ all rolled up into one surging tidal wave of emotion. The letter stared back at him glaringly in the shape of a D, and as his gaze slipped over to his right he could already feel it on him. Green eyes with the first trickling hints of orange met baleful red eyes framed by a black mask, Two sets of eyes filled with Anger, Fear, and Hatred.

**"TEAM A, AS THE VILLAINS! VERSUS TEAM D AS THE HEROES!"**

**Bonus! Title Image for the work by Komodo23**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Costume reveal, and the fated battle between men!  
> So I collaborated with Komodo23 to get MH:G its own Title Image! Pictured at the end of the chapter! I'll probably slip that in to Chapter 1 at some point. I absolutely ADORE each and every piece of art you all have gifted me with, and this is just one more ache to the heart in joy!  
> But for now I wish all of you a great day, and hope you all stay safe and happy!  
> Plus Ultra, Ao3!
> 
> Come and join the Goliath's Nest! https://discord.gg/5RhU3aM


	34. Chapter 34: The Only Thing to Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Are your inner demons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I had an itch, and felt like you ducklings need more. So here's an early gift from the Brood Father!
> 
> P.S. Since I know I'm a sketchy updater, if you haven't read the previous chapter do so!

**Chapter 34: The Only Thing to Fear**

_**Hate/Anger/Fear/Eagerness/Worry**_ rolled off of Izuku in waves as he turned back to focus on All Might's next words, the ringing in his ears only barely falling below the man's voice. **"VILLAIN TEAM! STEP FORWARD AND CHOOSE ONE OF THESE FIVE LOCATIONS! THIS WILL BE YOUR BASE OF OPERATIONS, AND WHERE YOU'LL TRY TO FIGHT OFF THE HEROES!"** Stepping over to the large man he could see five envelopes with large labels on the front in one of his hands, spread and held out to them for choosing. Glancing over at his partner he could see the hesitance creeping in behind her composure, and quickly glanced through the names to see if any stood out to him. _"We need somewhere big enough, or I don't think I'm going to be much use. Nowhere too crowded so we don't lose track of Hagakure-san, and someplace that... can... Ah."_

His brainstorming ended as he came to the last envelope, a trickle of ice slipping down his spine as he felt the phantom pain of shocks run across his arms. _**Rage/Remember/Fight/Hunt**_ The word "Factory" stood out to him in bold almost taunting in its simplicity, and before he could second guess himself he reached out to grip it in between shaking fingers. "We'll. _Gulp_ We'll take this one, A-All Might-Sensei." The hero nodded with an unreadable expression in his eyes before turning to the rest of the class with a wave, gesturing towards the tunnel they'd just passed through. 

**"EXCELLENT CHOICE YOUNG MIDORIYA. NOW THEN, IF THE HERO AND VILLAIN TEAMS COULD FOLLOW ME, I'LL LEAD THE WAY TO THE HIDEOUT. EVERYONE ELSE, PLEASE MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE MONITOR ROOM.** **"** As the gathered students turned to take their leave, Izuku could feel a hand slip into his and grip tightly. _**Lily**_ He squeezed back and turned to grin at the girl, trying to soothe the worry behind her eyes with a shaky smile. Her gaze softened and she nodded slowly, turning to follow the others and letting her fingers slips from his. The boy took a deep breath in through his nose to try and calm his racing heart, resolutely ignoring the glare from beside him before exhaling with a growl. _"Let's go be a **Hunter/Monster/Victor** Villain."_

_-x-_

Bakugou Katsuki paced back and forth like a beast in a cage, the heat of the sun beating down on him from above building even more of his explosive sweat up across his body. All Might had led him and the extras deeper into the city until they'd found a large industrial park beside some quaint little residences, the large factory sitting in the middle of its lot like a fat dragon snoozing atop a mound of gold. Around him he could see that there wasn't much cover besides the houses and a small concrete wall surrounding the hideout, while the main building stood roughly three or so normal stories high on one side with a currently shut huge rolling door leading towards a massive work floor on the other. The number one had vanished inside after handing them small communicators for their ears, saying something about a setup time and waiting until he said start. He whipped back around with a snarl on his face, fingers clenching over and over in his gloves. _"That gods damned Deku, I'm going to crush him! Then I'll prove that monsters don't belong with the heroes. Then I won't have to deal with him anymore!"_

"Uhhh, are you okay Teammate-san?" The sudden voice from beside him startled him into jumping, and he quickly tried to disguise the _~~fear~~_ startled move by whipping around to glare at the empty space wearing gloves. _"Oh right, there was an Invisible extra here too. Fuckin' stupid team exercises, I'm going to be number one_ without _any hangers on or monsters."_ He shook his head and tried to focus on the words the girl was saying, her expressive hand wear helping her to emote. "-oing to do once we're inside? Yaoyorozu-san is super smart, and Midoriya-san is pretty strong-" Bakugou snarled and let loose at that, scaring her into stopping with a squeak.

"Shut it, Invisalign! Deku isn't _shit_ to me, and this time I'm going to put that freak in his place!" He couldn't see her reaction to his aggressive words, but the gloves moved in a way that made him think she'd crossed her arms in a huff. Before she could speak he continued on, running over her words and turning to stare at the factory. "That fuckin' monster has been running around for too long. I'm gonna show him that he doesn't belong here, that he isn't a fuckin' hero. Once he's gone I can focus on being the god damn number one hero, and I can stop looking over my damn shoulder every time he's-" His brain suddenly caught up with his mouth and he snapped it shut, the sound of his teeth clacking together and grinding clearly audible to the Invisible girl.

"...Bakugou-san." Her voice, her damn voice, it was filled with an emotion that he didn't recognize as she spoke softly, the memories surging up in his mind. _Days spent in his room, hands over his ears. Trying desperately to block out the sounds in his head, the barking, snarling, whining, whimpering, tearing flesh-_ His fist clenched as he slammed it against the building beside him, the pain jolting him back to the present in time to hear the girl asking him, "Bakugou-san, are you afraid of-"

**"BATTLE TRIAL, START! HEROES MAY ENTER THE HIDEOUT!"**

The moment All Might's voice blared in his earpiece, he let the building explosive sweat built on his hands burst like a rocket booster. A cry from behind him was ignored as he rocketed forwards towards a small door beside the rolling one, yelling back at his 'teammate' midair. "You go find the fuckin' bomb or some shit, I'm gonna go kill that damn Monster!" He turned back towards his intended point of entry... when suddenly his world was nothing but the wrenching scream of tortured metal, and an angry boneshaking roar.

_-6 minutes prior-_

Izuku forced himself to try and shake the dread again, his tail rattling on the floor as he shivered violently. _"Not the same place, its not. This time I'm free, and **fear/blood** he's not here. No, he's not here... But a different villain is."_ He refocused on the the now, glancing around the rather large top office they were currently situated in with the bomb in one corner. All Might had led them to the bomb room and handed them some communicators, stating they had ten minutes to learn the layout and prepare for the heroes to arrive and leaving some last advice. **"NOW THIS MAY BE A TRAINING EXCERCISE, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN SLACK OFF. TRY TO GET INTO THE MINDSET OF TRUE VILLAINS, AND DON'T BE AFRAID TO GIVE IT YOUR ALL! I'LL BE STOPPING THE MATCH IF IT GOES TOO FAR! GOOD LUCK!"** That had been a couple minutes ago now, and they'd quickly glanced through the other rooms to figure out what they were working with. 

With a large open work floor down below them through a large window and two floors of workshops behind leading up to them, they had a relatively defensible position against less mobile opponents. _**Wary/Discontent**_ But something in Izuku's chest ate at him, his tail flicking in agitation as Yaoyorozu examined their 'bomb' while he stood at the windows looking down towards the large rolling metal doors. One of his hands came up to worry at the soft faux fur lining his jacket's collar, trying to convince both sides of himself against the course of action taking shape inside. _"I know our job is to guard the bomb, but I can't help the burning. My chest aches like its on fire, and I don't know if I can stop it. What am I supposed to do?"_ The sound of his partner's voice snapped him out of funk, and he turned back to her with an apologetic smile (and studiously averted eyes). "Sorry, what was that Y-Yaoyorozu-san?"

"I asked if you had any plans, Midoriya-san. I must admit that I don't really understand your quirk very well yet, and this is my first time putting my theoretical knowledge to test." Her always prim and proper voice held a note of uncertainty, and to Izuku her scent of _**Spices/Incense/Fear**_ had the unmistakable scent of fright to it. Not the kind when confronted by something you were scared of, but the very real fear of messing something up. The realization that his teammate was just as nervous as he was startled a laugh out of him, the tension suddenly snapping while the young heiress tilted her head curiously. _"I guess I don't need to be so worried after all. It's just like Sakamata-sensei said!"_ _**Confidence/Strength**_

"Just keep moving forward." He didn't realize he'd spoken it aloud until Yaoyorozu made a noise of confusion, causing his cheeks to heat and his hand to come up and scratch his neck embarrassedly. "Ah! Sorry about that, s-sometimes my mouth moves before my brain. What I mean is, I might have a plan. You mentioned your quirk was called creation right?" At her nod he brought one hand up to rub his chin, brow furrowing in thought as his muttering began to fill the air around them. Momo was only able to sweatdrop at the unintelligible sounds, and watch at the fascinating way the larger teen's tail moved behind him in sways and curls. _"Does it do that when he's thinking, or is it something conscious? Maybe a habit to help him concentrate? I wonder if-"_ She was cut off as Izuku growled loudly, his smile turning back to her with a devious glint in one eye. "Alright, so here's what we're gonna do, Yaoyorozu! First, I need you to make some wire..."

With only a little convincing he'd managed to get her to see the sense in the plan... which was rather impressive to the boy, since he was struggling to see it himself. _**Anticipation**_ He knew this was not only a viable plan, but might actually be their best chance against a team that had both high firepower and a stealthy combatant, even if he could 'see' her after a fashion. _"I don't know if she's aware of that yet, but better to play safe than sorry." **Eagerness**_ Izuku came to a stop beside the gigantic metal doors and stretched slightly, his joints popping as he relieved the pressure and closed his eyes to breathe deeply through his nose. The black world behind his eyes lit up in a white wave of scents, outlining his surroundings and spreading through the openings to reach the scent of nitroglycerin outside. He watched as the two outlines in his mind bickered, his ears faintly picking up the _**hated**_ voice of his tormentor cursing. His arm ached as the crackling sound of his hide shifting filled the area around him, his eyes opening to reveal a glimmer of orange. _"...I know I'm a villain right now, but even still. I'm n **ot going to LOSE!"**_

**"BATTLE TRIAL, START! HEROES MAY ENTER THE HIDEOUT!"**

The sound of the number one's voice in his earpiece spurred him into motion, pulling his arm back while the muscles bulged and thickened across his body. Izuku inhaled deeply and bared his teeth in a snarl, the hair on his head starting to recede as his face started molding itself into the familiar shape of his half-shift, and threw his clawed hand forward to tear through the metal at the approaching sound of explosions with a roar. 

_-Monitoring Room, 3 minutes before start-_

The rest of class 1-A had congregated in a dark room with a huge monitor, displaying multiple windows showing the insides and outsides of the factory and the two teams in/around it. All Might had arrived to take his place at the control, grabbing a small green-striped marked earpiece and placing it in his ear with a reminder to everyone. **"NOW THEN, BE SURE TO PAY ATTENTION! SOON ENOUGH IT WILL BE YOUR TURNS TO FIGHT!"** While most of the excited teens chattered and clamored at the thought of being able to show their stuff, one of them was busy watching the screen with hands held in front of her, watching the green haired boy pacing through the rooms with a lashing tail. Tsuyu's face gave away nothing of the anxious storm roiling beneath the surface, and her partner had moved to join her in standing silent vigil over their friend. They watched as Izuku headed into the wide open space of the work floor, and stop to compose himself. From behind her the frog girl could hear steps approaching, followed by the bubbly voice of a pink haired alien. "Soooo, Tsuyu-chan~! Who do you think is gonna win, Hunkasaurus or Blasty Boy?"

Tsuyu didn't bother to turn around as she answered, her voice bland but on edge even to the others unused to her mannerisms. "I don't know. Kero, but Izuku-chan and Bakugou have a bad history. Very, very bad." She could feel the curious, worried looks from her friends as Uraraka, Iida, and even Tokoyami had drifted over to stand near them. She trusted her boyfriend, and knew that All Might was supposed to stop the match if it got too bad... but in her stomach she could felt a nasty feeling brewing, the air seeming tense and heavy to her even all this way from the battlefield. She turned back to look at the others momentarily, taking in their expressions before turning back and speaking softly. "I only hope neither of them get permanently hurt from this... Kero."

The others could only gulp at her casual suggestion of students suffering a permanent injury, and no further words were spoken. Beside them the Number one hero reached up to press his finger against his earpiece, broadcasting to both teams with his trademark boisterous voice.

**"BATTLE TRIAL, START! HEROES MAY ENTER THE HIDEOUT!"**

_-Present-_

The metal of the door gave way to him like cardboard, his claws shearing through as he reached towards his opponent with a roar. The sound of an explosion was followed immediately by a burning pain in his right hand, and as he skidded to a stop he watched as the blonde bomber was launched back from him. Izuku growled and shook out his hand before standing straight, glaring back at the wild red eyes of his enemy. Bakugou bared his teeth back, cracks and pops rolling across his hands as he locked eyes with the ~~beast~~ opposite him. "Deku... you damn monster." The greenette's eyes glared harder, the wet noises of his jaw splitting into the mandibles joining the chest-rattling growl, his height growing another couple of inches to put him nearly two and a half meters tall.

" **Bakugou...** " The voice grated on his ears and Bakugou ground his teeth, fighting back the images again before leaning forward with both hands down held palms out. Across from him the damn nerd lifted both hands up into a fighting stance, fingers loose and elbows tight while behind him the clublike tail lashed the ground angrily. " **I'm not going to be your punching bag anymore. This time, I'm going to hit back, _Kacchan._** " The sheer venom behind the once fond nickname shot through him like a bullet, and for some bizarre reason Kacchan felt his heart clench in something other than anger or ~~fear~~. Something about it hurt him, and he couldn't help but feel he'd lost something important... but the anger surged forwards to block it all out and he saw red. 

"You. You! YOU SHITTY FUCKING MONSTER!" With a wild yell Bakugou rocketed towards him, winding his arm up behind him to deck that look of defiance off of the damn boy's face. His complete confidence in his superiority precluded any other outcome, so it came as a surprise to him when the armored teen pushed off with his supporting leg to meet him halfway. His feral swing was knocked away at the elbow by the armored hide on Izuku's forearm, and a fist like a rock smashed a hook into his stomach hard enough to make him heave. He could feel a grip on his arm tighten hard enough to hurt, and suddenly his world was upside down as Izuku lifted him, whipped him up and over him, only to smash him spine first into the compacted dirt. Bakugou saw stars as he spat saliva, struggling to pull air into aching lungs and trying to stop his spinning head.

" **I've been watching you. For years."** Izuku could feel his quirk thrashing in his chest, a constant growl ripping from his throat and his tail repeatedly digging furrows in the dirt behind him. " **Every time you beat me, every single fiery pain you threw at me. I remember them all.** " His head hurt. Izuku shook it as his voice deepened further, mandibles opening and closing as he breathed heavily. Behind him he could smell Hagakure sneaking towards him, and a quick glare over his shoulder at her position stopped her cold with a barely audible squeak. Looking at her to drive the message home, he turned back to his _**prey**_ opponent. " **You always led with a huge right. You're getting _predictable_ , Bakugou.**" Izuku head footsteps receding into the factory, and let a brief surge of satisfaction interrupt his growing anger before continuing. " **I'm going to be a hero. No matter how hard you beat me bloody, you never changed that. I'm right here, in U.A. like you. Yes, Bakugou, I AM a monster. But I'm not Deku, and I will never stop trying to be a hero. You don't like that?"** Izuku leaned forward and lowered his arms into a wider stance, almost a brutal mockery of the boy opposite him as he loosened the iron grip on his mind a bit more. " **You're going to have to _kill me_ to stop me.**" 

The words rolling through his head like an inevitable avalanche of emotion, Bakugou struggled over onto his hands and knees hacking and coughing. Lifting his gaze to lock onto the orange bordered green eyes of his ~~friend~~ enemy he slammed a fist into the dirt, pushing himself to his feet and glaring him down. "That- That can be arranged, you fucking monster." Throwing his arms behind him he blasted himself up and forward, throwing away his memories crowding at his mind, the **fear** eating at his heart, and the hesitation weighing his limbs. He didn't know why he wanted to scream, why he wanted to hide, why the hatred in the other boy's voice tore at his soul. Bakugou Katsuki was a fighter first and foremost, and all the emotions and feelings had swollen to a breaking point inside of him. So Katsuki _**fought.**_

Izuku brought his arms up around to block, the explosion powered fist bursting against his guard with heat and smoke. Another bang sent his opponent up and over, a huge explosion splashing against his back and sending him stumbling forward. _**React/FIGHT**_ His tail whipped up instinctively to slam against Bakugou's side, Izuku rolling into the stumble and using the momentum to fling him away. A quick burst from his hands allowed him to recover in time to land feet first against the factory wall, and with a yell he kicked off to rocket back towards the teen knee first. The impact against a hastily raised arm rocked Izuku to the side, catching his balance before he threw a heavy fist around to slam into Bakugou's own raised guard. They stumbled and flew away from each other only long enough to catch their balance, then raced back together like two celestial bodies on a fiery collision course. 

Back in the Monitor room the students watched the savage display with jaws agape and enthusiastic yells of encouragement, Kirishima pumping his arm as he shouted out to the heavens. "Sneaks attacks aren't manly at all, but look at Midoriya go! MANLY!" Uraraka could only watch in shock as their fists, feet, and tail slammed into each other hard enough to send them reeling, and Tokoyami muttered something about madness from a lowered head and wide eyes. Bringing her hands together tightly Tsuyu witnessed the normally gentle boy she'd come to like be brutally hit, and giving back just as good as he got to a red-eyed demon with fire and smoke in the palms of his hands. Standing at the controls All Might watched closely the two boy's battle, gauging their strength and listening to their heated exchange. _"Some of the things they've said have been... concerning. I think I should talk to one or both of them after this. Hopefully their differences can be worked out this way."_ A cry from one of the students drew his attention away from the battling titans, swapping some of the cameras to the interior of the factory offices.

Hagakure Tooru crept through the dimly lit workshops towards the stairs leading to the manager's office, her gloves and boots hidden beside one of the lower doors to aid her in her stealthy mission. The girl couldn't help but shiver again as she thought back to the look in Midoriya's eyes when he glared at her, feeling nothing quite so much as a mouse under the eye of a very big, very hungry cat. _"I thought he was just a big softie, but I felt like I was gonna die if I so much as moved wrong. Good thing he's not a bad guy for real, or I would have been toast! Now where is this darn bomb? Huh?"_ Having reached the office door and carefully pulled it open, Tooru found herself staring into a large lightless office. The only real illumination was through the huge plate windows opposite her, light from the hole the monster boy had made shining into the factory. All she could make out of the furniture was vague shapes, and no sight of the other villain to be found as she stepped in further, completely missing the wire at her feet until her ankle pulled it taught.

A loud beeping sound was her only warning before a loud bang shot out of the darkness in front of her, something wet and cold splattering across her front with enough force to stagger her and make her cry out in pain at the sting. "OW! What the heck??" Picking herself back up Tooru brought a hand up to dab at the liquid covering the front of her invisible outfit (She may play at being nude, but after an unfortunate incident in her youth she had learned better), bringing it up to sniff it warily and gag. "Blech, paint? Did I just get shot by a paint gun?" The slam of the door behind her startled her into jumping forward, a swooshing sound preceding something smacking into her back and sending her down to the ground with a cry.

"Indeed, Hagakure-san. Just be, um, grateful it wasn't a r-real gun!" The (Attempt at) threatening voice of Yaoyorozu sounded out from behind her as she scrambled up, looking towards the silhouette of the buxom girl as she stepped through a patch of light. It was just long enough to give the invisible girl a look at the staff in her hands and goggles on her head, and set her to groaning as she took up a rough fighting stance. _"Of course she had night vision goggles! I bet this is UV paint too!"_ Her theory was proven quickly, the shape of her opponent swinging the staff to force her to back off. "Midoriya-san said you'd probably not notice the tripwire. He really is a better strategist than he gives himself credit for." Snorting the other girl tried to dart in for a hit, only to jump back at a quick thrust of the metal pole. _"This is gonna be rough. I hope Baka-gou is having a better time."_

Bakugou grunted as the huge fist slammed against his side again, quickly bringing a hand up to blast at the inside of the upper arm and follow with a right straight the exploded against the other's chest. _"GOD DAMNIT! Was this fucking nerd always this tough?"_ Across from him Izuku gripped the ground with large clawed hands, on all fours as he watched him closely for the slightest twitch. The entire fight had taken only a few minutes, but to the blonde it felt like a timeless eternity of back and forth with the damn monster. Every time he managed to get an upper hand on him, somehow he managed to claw his way back into the fight _again!_ _"It's like he's adapting almost as fast as I do! FUCK!"_ His moment of distraction cost him when the greenette launched off the ground, a hasty cross block stopping the fist from smashing into his chest but sending him stumbling back. 

Huffing and snarling as he caught his breath, Izuku glared at the other boy with fire racing across his nerves. Every explosion hurt only for a second before the adrenaline buried it, and the constant bucking of his quirk in his mind was like a dull roar that built behind his eyes. _"Bakugou... is still **Strong/Frighten/Predator** Amazing. I trained so hard with Sakamata-sensei, and he just effortlessly pushes himself ahead of me. It feels good to finally let it all out."_ He could feel a smile stretching his alien face, a subconscious part of him recognizing the shudder from his opponent at the expression. He'd managed to keep his transformation under tight control so far, Aizawa-sensei's warnings and words constantly at the back of his mind, and he stood at just under three meters upright. His outfit had seemingly stretched with his increase in size, the leather and fabrics keeping up nicely under the strain and assault from explosions. The fiery feeling in his gut still roiled, but he was certain he could keep a handle on it, and let out an exuberant roar. _"I can do this. I CAN!"_ _ **DANGER**_

A loud angry beep cut across their fight, and Bakugou grinned widely as his right bracer flashed red. "It's Loaded." Izuku watched as he lifted up the grenade shaped gauntlet and his smile widened into something deranged, wild eyes conveying a desperate sense of blind anger. The boy's scent spiked with aggression and fear in equal measure, the second confusing Izuku into hesitating while the bomber leveled his arm at him and the large pin slid back with a click. "You were always watching, huh? Then you probably know how my quirk works by exploding my nitro-sweat on my palms. Now what do you think would happen if I had something to collect it?" Lifting his free hand upwards he hooked his finger in the reveal pin underneath, and Izuku could smell the scent of burning sugar grow unbearably. "I'll show you... I'M NOT AFRAID OF YOU ANYMORE!"

**"YOUNG BAKUGOU, STOP IT! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL HIM??"**

"A FUCKING MONSTER LIKE HIM WON'T DIE IF HE DODGES!" All-Might's voice tore across their earpieces as Bakugou yelled wildly, and Izuku tensed his legs with an inhale... only to stop with his eyes widening in panic. Like a perfect snapshot every seemed to freeze around him, glimpses of the world burning into his mind all at once. Opposite him was Bakugou, pulling the pin of his gauntlet aimed at his chest to launch fiery death at him. Izuku stood in between that and the factory behind him, their fight having shifted over the minutes until they'd circled back around. In his scent-sight like signal flares the clear outlines of his teammate and Hagakure battled in the upper floor, at an angle that because of his increased height Bakugou's aim... meant that if he moved to save himself, the explosion would tear through the upper building unrestrained. His pupils thinned to points as he processed this, and he made the only choice he could, the only one that made sense to the boy. He launched himself towards the danger to put himself in the way, and as time sped back up he could feel his quirk reinforcing his chest armor as fast as it could **_TOO SLOW_** before the fire came roaring from the barrel of the bomb.

With a thunderous crash the explosion ripped through the air to slam into the huge boy's chest at nearly point blank range, the sheer force behind it sending him flying backwards with a vengeance and a high-pitched roar of pain that dug at everyone's ears within a mile. His body slammed into the wall behind it and tore through without pause, sending him crashing through the mock machines to thud into the floor hard enough to shake the building. The tortured foundations groaned and then gave beneath the weight, the floor dropping out with a rumbling and clattering of metal from pipes breaking, sending a spray of water up over the new hole and obscuring anything inside of it. Above him with a scream both girls staggered to the side, catching themselves on the suddenly visible desks in the increased light. Outside the factory Bakugou staggered back from the recoil, laughing wildly as he watched his nightmare was thrown away by fire and ash. In the monitoring room a terrified scream ripped from the throat of girl watching her loved one get blasted through a building, while All Might desperately joined his voice in crying out the boy's name with everyone else. Meanwhile unseen by all in the corner of the large monitor showing four minutes remaining, a bizarre skull with a knife through it flickered into being, the soft clunk of the heavy door locking lost underneath the screaming.

" _IZUKU_ /MIDORIYA-SAN/ **YOUNG MIDORIYA!!!"**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhangers? More likely than you think! :D Hope you enjoyed this hefty chunk of change my ducklings!!  
> I'm a little worried, once again, about my action scenes. I hope that this meets and exceeds your expectations, and would love any and all feedback!  
> Plus Ultra, Ao3!
> 
> Come and join the Goliath's Nest! https://discord.gg/5RhU3aM


	35. Chapter 35: He Who Seeks Vengeance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Should remember to dig two graves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go.

**Chapter 35: He Who Seeks Vengeance**

In a plush office sipping succulent tea, a white-furred mammal rattled through digital reports and stacks of paper at a furious rate. Nezu hummed to himself as he worked on the administrative duties of a high-school principal, a tune that he could never quite remember the words to but had stuck with him for years. His quirk that gave him the chance to live the life he had also gifted him with the blessing of rapid paperwork completion, and the ability to multi-task was something made the chores all the easier. It was due to this ability that when his computer let out a distinctive beep, that he was able to flick over to a minimized window without pausing. That was until the alert processed nearly a full two seconds later, when his paws stilled and his eyes narrowed dangerously. Plain as day on the screen was the program he'd set up to hunt down the remnants of the intrusive virus they'd detected the day of the entrance exam, and it was currently informing him that the same virus had resurfaced.

Not only resurfaced but it was currently at work in the Training Ground Epsilon security systems, locking down the monitor room that held All Might and his class. With a snarl the rodent brought his full attention to his computer, his considerable intellect bent on ousting the upstart who dared to attack his school. The command prompt spat lines of text at a rate incomprehensible to mere mortals, but to the eldritch entity accessing it was almost too slow. "It appears somebody wants to mess with my students? So, They have chosen death!" His cheery voice did not reach his eyes, and the vicious grin promised virtual pain to his opponent as he went to work dragging every last bit of information from the intrusion possible.

Urgent beeping drew the attention of a distant entity, digital displays denoting a dangerous dance of data. With a soft curse the figure pushed themselves across the desk to pull a keyboard from beneath it, setting it in place and hastily running its fingers over the keys to try and save what he could. "Damn it, he's quick on the uptake. I should have foreseen a countermeasure." Growling to himself he reached up to scratch his head, nails digging into the scalp briefly before he took a deep breath to focus. "It's fine, It's fine. I've gotten enough. Just hold him off, keep him away from the important parts." With soft muttering he pressed forward, methodically typing line after line of activation codes to cut off his systems from the bug he'd planted in Japan's elite Hero School.

_-Meanwhile, Training Ground Epsilon-_

**"YOUNG MIDORIYA! YOUNG MIDORIYA!! ALL STUDENTS, CEASE ACTIVITIES THE MATCH IS ON HOLD! _SHIT!"_ **All Might threw the microphone in his hand down to the control desk, cursing in English at hearing nothing in reply but the static in his ear. Whipping around he strode towards the door, jamming a finger on the button beside it as instructed the rest of the students. **"EVERYBODY STAY PUT, THERE'S BEEN AN ISSUE WITH THE COMMUNICATORS. I'M ON MY WAY TO END THE MATCH AND MAKE SURE- EH?"** Walking forward without pause All Might found himself walking face first into a closed door, reaching up to rub his nose as he glared down at the pad beside it showing a red lock symbol. Pressing the button again received only angry beeping, the door remaining stubbornly locked. Confusion reigned in his head as he looked from the door to the pad and back, the hero having half a mind to tear the heavy metal portal from its jam. The sound of a desperate gasp from Young Asui behind him brought his attention back to the screen, eyes widening at the sight that greeted them all.

"What just happened??" Tooru's voice filled the room as the shaking slowed and ceased, the loud noises fading until only the creaking of metal settling and the spray of the water from a burst pipe were left. Momo removed her goggles and stood up carefully to assess the situation, blinking as she noted that the plate window had shattered in the massive explosion and resulting quake. The factory floor was a terrific mess with a large hole near the center obscured by misting water, and a huge chunk of the outer wall had been torn down as well. Faintly she could the sounds of laughter and angry shouting, deducing that Bakugou and Midoriya's battle had escalated. Looking around she could still see the paint-covered outline of her opposition, and beyond her- Momo froze as she realized the shaking had knocked loose the coverings she had made, and then subsequently hung with Midoriya's help to hide the bomb in one corner behind what amounted to false walls. "Yaoyorozu, are you okay- Oh. The bomb." Both girls locked eyes, realizing almost at the same time the sudden vulnerability of the objective. With All Might's instructions to end the match unheard, they both moved to continue their fight with sudden vigor.

Outside the wreckage Bakugou laughed loudly, the sensation shaking his entire body as his breath started coming in gasping pants. His head felt light as his ears ached from the explosive recoil, while his chest felt tight at the conflicting emotions rising to flood him again. "H-How's that you STUPID NERD! I'm not af-afraid of you anymore! I never was!" The laughter faded into deep breathing, struggling to push the building panic back and lock it away as he muttered to himself "Stupid Deku, STUPID Deku. He should have dodged. FUCK! Gotta find that damn bomb, I need to prove I'm the fucking best." Staggering forward he caught himself before striding towards the convenient entrance, ignoring the screaming warnings railing at his brain in an attempt to ignore it all.

_**Pain. Burning. Quiet.** _

Izuku's eyes slid open slowly and blinked blearily in the gentle mist of water falling on him, light refracting from the falling droplets and the ringing in his ears mixed with distant muffled voices. He wheezed in a breath, the burning in his chest now feeling much more real. All of it felt so far away to the boy, his mind halfway between the... hole? he was in and a jungle filled with the sound of angry roaring. 

_**Anger. Hatred. Hunger.** _

He grunted as he tried to push himself up from his laying position on his back, memory fading back in and filling with the crazed look of his former friend. His torso crunched wetly when he moved, and he watched in detached fascination as the third degree burns slowly crept closed, chunks of blackened hide and flesh crumbling away to turn to dust as they hit the ground. He could feel the hold slipping as he brought himself to a sitting position, his head pounding in time with his heartbeat and burning chest. In his quirk he could feel the sticky, grasping black ooze bubbling up to encompass his legs, while the massive shape of Goliath roared and beat its chest. 

_**RAGE. HATE. KILL.** No. **KILL!** I won't._

He could feel it pushing against his eyelids as they slid closed again, the urges of his tailmind struggling to the forefront fighting against his hazy willpower. But he couldn't give in, couldn't do that to them, to her.

_**RAGE! HATE! FEAST!**_ No. _**DEVOUR!** _Lily would be sad. _**........**_

He pushed himself up onto his feet, lifting his head to let the cool liquid flow across his elongate head and neck. He could feel his body shifting and growing, without any of the usual feedback of trying to restrain it. He could feel the pregnant silence of his quirk, feel the anger and rage pooled still deep inside.

_**.... Defeat.**_ Better. _**Subdue.**_ Yes. _**Win.**_ "Okay."

His voice whispered out in the depths of the hole, and in his mind he gave in to the grasping muck and sunk. It stopped when he willed it, his mental head above the metaphysical surface. Goliath inhaled deeply and falteringly scented the world around him, the three figures moving around like stop motion in his explosion impaired nose. He snorted to try and clear it, before growling in his chest. Izuku took another deep breath before letting it out. _"All Might hasn't stopped the fight. We should only have a couple minutes left. I just need to stall out Bakugou **Hate/Enemy/Defeat** until time's up. That, and try not to kill him." _Goliath lowered his head back down feeling the sound building inside his chest, and Izuku threw back his head to let it out as he gave in to the fire.

_**"BAAAAAAKUUUUGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUU!!!!"** _

The roar shattered the remaining windows on the factory, and it was the only warning the blonde haired boy had before a shape from the deepest depths of his nightmares surged up from the hole in front of him. The form was similar to the assessment test, but Bakugou's stomach wrenched as he noticed the irregularities. De- Midoriya's face was deformed, only the left eye and cheek remained human leading up towards a shock of green hair that quickly faded up into the black hide of the monster, while the right side and bottom of his face had completely changed. The spikes across his shoulders were uneven where the jacket half melded with the hide, while the left arm bulged to its full size and the right was shrunken slightly. His legs were digitigrade, his tail the longest he'd ever seen it, and Bakugou felt the cold grasp of dread grab his heart and squeeze when a deep guttural snarl rattled his body. It was only his incredible reflexes that allowed him to duck under the first swipe, the monster's left hand scraping a few hairs from his head as the huge claws gouged out furrows into the wall beside him.

One of the largest explosions he'd ever made naturally sent him hurtling backwards with a wordless scream, automatically pointing his arms back to slow his momentum as his bones ached from the force. Not time to breath though while the shape of his opponent lunged forwards to launch itself into the air after him, swinging its huge arm back to try and slam him from the sky. A tight turn saw him scraping by the blow, the momentum of the turn automatically following through into a spinning side kick. The heavy boot thudded into the monstrous head, causing nary a flinch as the mandibled jaws snapped menacingly inches from his feet. Yelling he kicked off and landed in the nearby street, watching as Izuku? landed with a crash and immediately threw himself to the side to skid to a stop along the street. His mind working overtime Bakugou could only subconsciously log that the action had prevented the huge creature from crashing into the side of a house, before he was throwing his own body down into a pushup to duck a suddenly thrown mailbox that squealed as it wrapped around a lamp post behind him.

Izuku growled menacingly at the prey in front of him, and Goliath reached for another piece of ammunition in the form of a nearby car. Izuku quickly reasserted control to grab what seemed to be a food stand beside it instead, and he snarled in annoyance while he chucked it at their opponent. Goliath watched the predator roll over quickly to dodge the missile aimed to avoid the buildings behind it. Realizing that it was too fast to be hit easily, he closed in on his former friend to try and pin him. Throwing himself to his feet with a boom, Bakugou let loose multiple explosions in quick succession at the approaching abomination to deter it. Jumping to the side under the cover of the smoke he grabbed a piece of metal from the ground beside him, Jumping up on a hunch as a huge tail whipped through the smoke at leg height.

With another wordless yell he threw the jagged metal like a spear with an explosive boost, smoke clearing in front of the missile to reveal a huge hand brought up to block it. The sickening crunch of flesh giving to metal brought forth a pained roar of rage, as he watched in horror when the makeshift weapon impaled halfway though the monstrous palm and he froze up at the sight of black viscous blood. Goliath roared at the impertinence of the puny prey, Izuku grunting as he reached over and tore the metal from his hand. He could feel it somehow inside, the vague sense of how much longer his quirk would be able to heal him before he needed to eat. If he paced it he was certain he could make another minute at least, and Goliath wasn't going to miss their chance.

Inside the factory Tooru cried out in pain as she was thrown to the floor, pushing up only to stop as the end of a steel staff was pressed against her throat. Well, technically it was a couple inches low, but she could understand what Yaoyorozu was going for as they both panted in exertion. Momo for her part had focused on playing keep away with the barely visible ghost of a girl, finding that years of martial training with a weapon were sorely strained against such an unusual opponent. But finally she'd triumphed once she'd managed to snag the other teen's leg, hooking it up and sending her tumbling backwards to crash against the skewed carpet surface. "Good- Whew, Good fight Ha-Hagakure-san. You're a s-surprisingly skilled fighter. We should compare notes later, but right now It's my victory." Tooru just laughed while her head flopped to the floor, sending an invisible thumbs up to the heiress as she groaned in pain from the plethora of bruises. The haze of battle lifting brought the world around them rushing back in, and both girls flinched at the sound of explosions, roars, and screaming from beyond.

Screens flashing past at a speed that would sicken anybody of a lesser mind, Nezu careened through the virtual maze of hastily constructed walls and defenses. While at first the intellectual had free reign of the invading program, He'd quickly found an active opponent thwarting his moves at every turn. It became a game of high-speed chess in a way, Nezu making moves to take as much information as he could before the other could cut him off, then repeating again until only a few strands of the virulent data remained connected to his system. Glancing over at the screens beside him showing Ground Epsilon he watched as the larger boy chased after his opponent, sharp eyes watching as the nearly story tall teen kept preventing himself from damaging the surroundings. A jerk of his malformed head here, a stumbled step from an aborted leap turning into a lunge, or throwing objects only once the target cleared collateral. A second window showed the Number one hero turning towards the Monitor room door, and when his computer beeped its progress at him the principal whipped his phone from his pocket and tossed it onto the desk, speaking cheerily with a vicious smile as he continued to rip the virus out. "Call; All Might!"

"IZUKU-CHAN! ALL MIGHT, STOP THEM! KERO!" Tsuyu could do nothing but watch as what should have been a simple training exercise, turned into what appeared to be a barbaric deathmatch. She watched as her boyfriend surged up from the hole in the ground, roaring loudly enough they could hear it from here. She watched as his misshapen form re-engaged Bakugou, and somehow she knew he was still in control. She could tell every time he moved too close to a house or a car, he would jerk his head to the side and step away. But that didn't seem to be apparent to the explosive blonde, and she watched as he proceeded to start using weapons in a potentially lethal manner.

So she screamed to the number one hero, because while she trusted the boy she was growing to love, she held no illusions that Bakugou hadn't lost his _fucking_ mind. The frantic voice of the frog girl spurred All Might from his daze, and he turned away from the screen to the door, fully intending to tear through it himself... When he was stopped by the urgent ringtone of his cell-phone, his tinny catchphrase so out of place he automatically grabbed the device from a pouch to answer it. **"THIS MIGHT BE A BAD TIME-"**

"Ah, good I caught you! I would like to ask that you do not stop the match prematurely, Yagi-san!" Nezu's cheerful voice nearly caused the hero to spit up blood in surprise, his sputtered denials heard by the genius and somehow interpreted. "Whoever is attacking our system clearly has a goal in mind by preventing you from interfering with it. As I have almost isolated their virus, the match has only about one minute three seconds left, and Midoriya is almost fully in control of his faculties, I would like to not give this enemy anything more to go on." His hurried and cheery explanation served to stun All Might into silence, his mind struggling to deal with several bombs dropped simultaneously on him by the rodent. "Reassure the students, and continue class as normal, Yagi-san. This enemy wins if he disrupts us. I will take care of the rest. Fifty three seconds!" 

The click of his phone hanging up was loud in his ear, and behind him he could hear the worried chatter of his students. _"This just escalated into something beyond what it appears I think... Shiiit."_ Swallowing heavily he turned back to the class, reinforcing his smile while he laughed to try and break the tension hanging over them. **"HA HA HA! HAVE NO FEAR STUDENTS, AND DO NOT WORRY YOUNG ASUI. THE SYSTEM ERRORS SHOULD BE FIXED MOMENTARILY, AND WITH LESS THAN A MINUTE ON THE CLOCK IT SEEMS LIKE OUR VILLAINS MIGHT HAVE THIS IN THE BAG!"** The incredulous stares burrowed into his face like accusatory knives, and he could practically feel the murderous intent behind the normally docile frog girl's glare as she pointed towards the screen.

"Kero, are you seeing the same thing as us, All Might? Bakugou is trying to _kill_ Izuku!" They all turned in time to see another explosion washing over the huge teen, before the blonde flipped himself over the return swing of flashing claws. All Might's smile darkened just a bit as he watched the smaller boy lunge forward to grab another piece of rubble and launch it, noting that he was fighting far more like a cornered animal than the skilled combatant he had seen earlier. Internally he prayed to any gods listening that Nezu wasn't making a huge mistake, and spoke up to try and defuse the situation as ordered.

 **"YOUNG BAKUGOU WILL BE SPOKEN TO ABOUT HIS INAPPROPRIATE USE OF FORCE, OF THAT YOU CAN BE CERTAIN. FOR NOW, THIS IS SIMPLY GOING TO SERVE AS ANOTHER LESSON TO HOW THINGS CAN DEVOLVE IN A FIELD SITUATION. PLEASE TRUST YOUR TEACHER'S JUDGEMENT."** He could see that his words were only partially effective, the stares split between him and the screen as the timer ticked down to twenty seconds. In his ear he heard a beep, and the audio from the field came roaring back to him in a wave. Just in time to hear a pained yell from Young Bakugou, followed by a crashing of a body into a solid object.

Izuku snarled as he heard the telltale sound of Bakugou's bracers beeping, Goliath watching as Bakugou's fearful eyes turned desperate. Blowing himself back from the monster he quickly tried to bring his arm up to point the deadly cannon at his target, back to the factory once more and facing the residencies on the other side. **_"Not this time."_** Digging his claws into the asphalt he lunged forwards at speeds to make his mentor proud, his smaller arm lashing out to grab his prey's pointing limb and _yank_. A loud crunching sound echoed around Izuku, Bakugou yelling in agony as his arm was violently dislocated. He hung limply from the monster's grip, letting out a panicked explosion towards Goliath's face. With a roar he threw the offending creature from him _hard_ , the body flying through the air to slam into the factory wall with a thud. Growling menacingly Izuku began stalk towards the downed opponent, Goliath's claws tearing up the earth in anticipation of finally putting his enemy down. 

**6\. 5.**

Bakugou could barely see straight with a swimming head, the accrued damage finally starting to eat at him through the adrenaline. He could feel his dislocated arm hanging beside him, and hear the thudding approach of his nightmares made real. Far beyond rational thought at this point he struggled to bring his right hand over to lift his unusable left, propping it on his knee and popping the pin with a shaky hand. The sound of steps halted with a vicious snarl that shook his core, and he growled back at the blurry creature leaning down at him with mouth open wide as he pointed the shaky gauntlet.

**4\. 3.**

Izuku could feel his control slipping with every passing second, and the sight of his hated foe still lifting the weapon towards him only strained it further. Goliath would have no more of this prey, and bucked against the iron grip of Izuku's mind. With a gasp he fell beneath the surface of the muck, struggling to bring himself back up as Goliath leaned down and opened his mouth wide. He could see the fear in the meat's eyes, a memory of a summer day in the woods breaking through the hate and hunger, the same fear staring back at him from the same-but-older eyes. It/They/He froze in place, the barrel of the cannon pointed between his eyes.

**2\. 1.**

Katsuki looked into the eyes of the boy staring him down, before his eyes slipped lower. Across the unhinged jaws, past the scorched collar to the creature's torso. He watched as the unmelded remains of the jacket fell open to reveal the massive burn on its chest, the flesh singed and scorched beneath shattered hide directly over the heart. _"I. Tried to kill. Deku."_ Like cold water the reality of his actions washed over him, the adrenaline and fear sliding away like oil in the rain. His arm began to shake while his eyes stung in a way he'd half-forgotten, gaze raising back to the other's and watching as the humanity leaked back into the emerald and orange. With a thump his arm fell to his side and his vision dimmed, head falling back against the wall behind him while the loud voice of the Number One hero rang in both of their ears in time with the blaring buzzer of the timer.

**"BATTLE TRIAL OVER! VILLAINS WIN!!"**

"Damn it, Damn it, Gods damn that rat." The figure sat back in his chair with the repeated curse, staring thoughtfully at the glaring 'connection terminated' screen. Try as he might he'd been unable to prevent Nezu from claiming information from it, though everything vital had long since been hidden somewhere else entirely. Inhaling deeply he leaned the seat back until he could stare up at the flag on his wall, eyes idly tracing the barely visible outline of the skull he'd drawn long ago. "We're running out of space to breathe. Time to move the schedule forward." His voice echoed out into the seemingly empty room, the only answer a scraping sound like a door opening and then closing quickly. Pulling a small bottle from its place on the nearby shelf, the man poured a single pill out into his hand and scoffed it down dry. Only then did his eyes close, the vivid ruby and topaz orbs disappearing behind his lids with words like a softly spoken prayer.

" _Homines Salvos,_ For you. For them. For us all."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boom. I know it might have been choppy, but know that some of that was intentional!
> 
> Hope that satisfied! Until next time Ducklings! ^_^
> 
> Come and join the Goliath's Nest! https://discord.gg/5RhU3aM


	36. Chapter 36: Facade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first battle trial draws to a close, the show must go on, and the figures of authority maintain their flimsy house of cards.
> 
> The Frog is Angry. Unfortunate for her foes.
> 
> Also Tired/Hungry/Angry bean needs some snacks and a hug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there, It's me. Now I know what you're thinking, man its been a while. But first and foremost lets address the most important part:  
> Happy Anniversary of Monstrous Hero: Goliath! And Happy Birthday Tsuyu Asui!  
> I know I haven't posted in a while, but here's hoping this will help everybody get right back into the swing of it. More A/N after the chapter, for now just get to reading!  
> Oh also, check out this art for last chapter by the wonderful Komodo! https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/713628561914724363/806082213112053821/P_20210202_094211_vHDR_Auto.jpg

**Chapter 36: Facade**

Izuku panted while he stood up slowly with creaking limbs, grunting as his various burns and pains ached from the motion. Around him the remains of the fierce battle smoldered, a couple pieces of brick and mortar tumbling to the ground, while distantly he could hear the sounds of two female voices saying something above him before another buzzed in his ear. But the words held no meaning to the boy, and the only thing he could comprehend was the fierce pounding in his head that matched the beating of his heart filling his ears. The teen's eyes were unfocused as they stared down at the unconscious form of his childhood bully, and in an alien jungle two voices vied for control in a frantic struggle. 

_"It hurts, my head hurts. **Hatred, The Fear-bringer** Bakugo is right there, he's down it's over! **Pain/Anger/Hate/Hunger** WE WON!" _Izuku yanked his mental self up against the clutching, grasping strands of black muck weighing his limbs down, ears ringing as he sunk back down into the cesspool of bottled up anger, the negative emotions he'd kept tight under lock and key for years threatening to overwhelm what little self control he had left. _"Heroes don't hurt villains once they've been beaten! **H** e **di** d it to **me** though. NO! We're better than **he/hate/kill/burns** us!"_Externally the sound of claws digging in to the earth preceded the malformed shape of Izuku reaching his right arm out towards the blonde, his claws slowly framing the head of the one creature that had caused him more pain in his life than almost anything else.

Back in the control room All Might sighed in relief as his announcement successfully reached the fighting students, reaching up to transmit again with a jovial tone. **"STUDENTS, COLLECT YOURSELVES AND RETURN TO THE MONITORING ROOM! MEDICAL ASSISTANCE IS ON THE WAY TO ANYONE INJURED!"** Glancing back around the room he could hear the voices of the young adults excitedly discussing the intense match, biting back a sigh of relief as the tension and fear from before seemed to bleed out of them. _"Well, most of them..."_ He couldn't help but wince as he watched several of his learners continue to glance at the screen, showcasing the massive form standing over the unconscious boy with arm outstretched.

The boy internally howled in anguish at the splitting pain in his mind, clutching at straws in attempts to stave off the murderous surge of emotion. _"WE'RE NOT A MONSTER! ~~ **WE ARE!**~~ WE'RE BETTER THAN THAT! ~~**HE WASN'T!**~~ " _His claws slowly closed around Bakugou's head, thumb pressing against his cheek hard enough to split the skin. A single drop of blood squeezed from beneath the blade, crimson liquid reflecting the harsh sunlight from above catching Izuku's eye and freezing him in place. In a moment that stretched endlessly he watched the red teardrop fall across his tormentors face, a perfect line of ruby traced beneath his right eye like a tear track. In that single eternal instant Izuku existed in the space between two breaths-

**_. . . . Heroes help others . . . . ._ **

and with a gasp his eyes shot open, his hand jolting back as if he'd been burned. Violently shaking his head back and forth Izuku stumbled away from Bakugou's sitting body, his claws scraping across the bricks of the crumbling wall where they steadied him. Groaning his hand came up to grip the side of his head, while internally the teen struggled free of the last grasping black muck clinging to his form. Crackling and crunching filled the air, black sludge sloughing off his body to dry and blow away as dust across the ground, Izuku shrank back down from his transformation to his aching baseline. 

_"Uuuurrrgh. Well that sucked... **pain/fatigue/shame**." _The boy hissed as he reached up to touch his chest, gingerly feeling the edge of the scorched starburst wound. A charred hole was blasted through the orca pattern undershirt, leaving a clear view of the crisped skin and ash slicked tissue. Even as his fingers tested the injury he could feel his body working to heal the damage to the best of its ability, soft crackling sounds coming from a dark grey hide flowing slowly across it. _"That's going to leave a mark. It's been a long time since I got hurt bad enough to stick. **Anger/Tired/Hunger**_ _"_ His belly rumbled as if to remind him of the sharp, growing need to find sustenance as soon as humanly possible. Pushing himself up from the wall he took a staggering step forward, stumbling slightly before his lashing tail managed to correct his balance. _"Gods I hope that the cafeteria is open after lunch. **Warning** Huh?" _

"Injury detected! Collect Students!" "I know!" The two tinny voices startled him out of his head, and he turned to see what appeared to be the very same diminutive robots from the entrance exam trundling towards him with their stretcher between them. Blinking he watched them zip up to him, the front one looking him up and down with a glowing eye before letting out a negative sounding tone, before moving past to stop beside Bakugou. He looked on as they started heckling each other and placed the stretcher down beside the boy, moving to try and maneuver him onto the cloth for transport. Before his mind could consciously react his legs shot him forward, drawing the eyes of the medic bots as he crouched down beside his unconscious opponent. Reaching out with his hands he hesitated but for a moment, before sliding them under the blonde's legs and shoulders to carefully transition him over to the stretcher. 

Pushing himself back to his feet he watched as they meandered off in the direction of the main campus, his flicking tail knocking against the crumbling walls of the gutted factory floor. Lost in his head he almost didn't hear the approaching footsteps from inside, turning to look behind him and watch as Yaoyorozu emerged from the darkness shading her eyes and supporting... a pair of gloves. "Oh, Midoriya-san! I was worried about you when we heard that massive explosion. I-is everything alright, are you okay?" 

"Yeah, how'd Baka-gou wind up in your fight?" Hagakure's cheerful but tired voice sounded out from where she was leaning on the taller girl, her free hand coming up to wave sluggishly. "You two were really going at it when I left you, ehehe..." Izuku snorted in bemusement, wincing as the head motion aggravated his chest. Moving carefully he walked over towards the two of them, circling around them as they stopped curiously. Crouching down he carefully offered his shoulders, his voiced rumbling out in a tired laugh. 

"It was _**terrifying/infuriating/cathartic/fierce**_ a fight. It was brutal. B-bakugou is such a brilliant fighter. Here, lean on me." When the young heiress hesitated with a look of trepidation on her face, Izuku tried to smile reassuringly with a wagging tail. "I noticed you limping, Yaoyorozu-san. I can help both of you back, but didn't want to just pick you up. _**Pride/helpful/worry**_ We shouldn't keep everyone waiting, r-right?" Still she hesitated a moment more, before Hagakure giggled and staggered over to lean against his right arm and throw her left up to brace on his shoulder. With a nervous smile the ravenette moved to place her hand onto the leather of his jacket, cautiously leaning until she was sure he could handle the weight. Izuku stood slowly to ensure that they'd be able to keep up, and turned to make his way towards the monitor room with both girls chatting amicably beside him.

_-x-_

Their arrival to the monitoring room was muted, seemingly going unnoticed by most for the first few seconds. Izuku however was captured almost immediately by simultaneously worried and relieved green eyes framed in a frowning face, and Tsuyu wasted no time in making her way to him with Shoji trailing behind. **_Lily/Worry/Relief_** Sparing but a moment to ensure neither of his companions would topple without him, the tired tall tailed teen stumbled forward to meet her halfway, both of their arms reaching to embrace the other and his chin coming to rest atop her head. "Ts-tsu-chan..."

"Kero." Tsuyu simply croaked reassuringly with her hands clenched against her boyfriend's back, clutching the grounding feel of the faux leather and ignoring the scent of burnt sugar to focus on Izuku's. To the frog girl he had always smelled pleasantly of heavy wood smoke, mixed with a musk that reminded her vaguely of flowers or what she imagined a thick rainforest must smell like. Now his scent was stronger than ever to her nose, and mixed in with it she could clearly discern dust, singed flesh, and... "Izuku-chan, are you bleeding??" Izuku lifted his head from where it rested and brought his left hand up to check it, flexing his fingers while his tail curled around to rest against the back of the girl's legs.

"N-not anymore. It stopped on the way back, ehehe..." Following through on the motion to scratch his head, Izuku tried to smile through the worry and reassure her. Unfortunately the cry of the teen had alerted the rest of the class, and with a surge of sound the students swamped the arrivals. 

"Midoriya-kun! That was awesome!" "You kicked ass Yaomomo!" "Y-yaomomo?? I don't-" "You were pretty sneaky Hagakure, you almost got em!" "MANLY!" The voices overlapped as the more rambunctious personalities competed to congratulate the victors and losers alike. The quieter ones were content to simply nod their accolades in the cases of Shoji and Tokoyami, or simply stay uninvolved like Todoroki and Koda, be it through stoicism or shyness respectively.

**"AHEM."** The powerful pointed cough from the massive blonde cut through the excited chatter with ease, and quickly the assembled teens turned to the number one hero expectantly. " **I AM HAPPY TO SEE ALL OF YOU BACK IN ONE PIECE! THERE WAS A BRIEF INTERRUPTION IN OUR COMMUNICATORS, BUT YOU MANAGED TO COMPLETE THE EXCERCISE AND KEEP INJURIES TO A MINIMUM! WELL DONE!** " All Might's words received a mostly positive reaction from his audience, the majority of them once again congratulating the participants. Despite this the reactions that stood out most to him were definitely the Asui girl's blank glare that still somehow managed to convey a great deal of anger, and the flash of guilt that wracked the face of Young Midoriya that he resolved to address later.

" **WITH THE END OF YOUR BATTLE, IT FALLS TO US TO ASSIGN SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT... THE AWARD OF MVP! TELL ME STUDENTS, WHO DO YOU BELIEVE WAS THE MVP OF THIS BATTLE?** " Flexing for emphasis caused the class to erupt in loud calls for who they thought, with a heavy majority exclaiming a certain greenette's name with gusto. It wasn't until a loud thump drew their attention that they saw the boy in question had smacked his tail on the ground and was waiting patiently with his hand raised, causing All Might to point with a raised eyebrow. **"YES, YOUNG MIDORIYA?** "

"It's Yaoyorozu-s-san." At a 'continue' gesture from the man, Izuki cleared his throat and continued with a mix of fatigue and nerves. "Bakugou an in without a plan to engage the villains. He was reckless and destructive, and had no teamwork. I don't deserve it because I let it get personal. I left our hideout to engage the heroes in the open, and rather than deal with Hagakure I relied on her slipping past me so I could fight Bakugou alone. For the same reason Hagakure isn't the mvp. She could have attacked me from behind to distract me, or potentially used something in the environment to give her team an advantage. Yaoyorozu is the only one who not only stuck to script, but completed the exercise while keeping the objective firmly in mind. Thus I think that Yaoyorozu is the mvp." _**Breathe/Satisfaction/Hunger**_ The entire class sweatdropped at the huge influx of information from the boy, Yaoyorozu blushing slightly from the unabashed praise while All Might lifted a hand to cough into his fist in surprise. 

**"E-EXACTLY, YOUNG MIDORIYA. EXCELLENT POINTS! YOUNG YAOYOROZU IS THE MVP OF THE FIRST BATTLE TRIAL!"** The heiress couldn't help but stand a bit straighter, even as she felt a congratulatory pat on her shoulder from her invisible opponent. All Might turned back to his control console and reached beneath, pulling the two large lots boxes up to set them on top with a clunk. **"WE'VE ONLY GOT SO LONG TO LEARN YOUNG ONES, SO WE'RE MOVING RIGHT ON TO THE SECOND BATTLE! NEXT UP TO BAT ARE... THESE TEAMS!"** With a flourish the boisterous hero revealed two more letters, the bold characters sealing the fate of the next four students. " **TEAM B AS THE HEROES VERSUS TEAM G AS THE VILLAINS!** " At the announcement the two opposing groups stepped forwards, Sato slamming a fist into his palm while Aoyama... sparkled his way to his side. Opposite them Koda stood nervously pressing his fingertips together in front of the hideout choices, getting a smiling thumbs up from the bubbly Uraraka beside him when he selected the one labeled "Park". **"EXCELLENT CHOICE! FOLLOW ME TO THE HIDEOUT SITE FOR YOUR SETUP! EVERYONE ELSE REMAIN HERE!** " Leading the way the larger than life man marched majestically through the doorway, followed swiftly by the far less dramatic and more dramatic combatants steeling themselves for their trial.

While the rest had gone on to excitedly chatter at the upcoming matchup, Izuku had drifted back towards the wall and the seats pressed up against it, sinking in to it with a pained huff. Staying firmly beside him Tsuyu looked over her boyfriend with a critical eye, noticing the way he seemed to favor his left side and took pains to hide his torso beneath the jacket. Reaching out slowly so he could see her moving she gently slide her hand under the edge, lifting it away to partially reveal the horrific wound in the process of healing over. "K-kero? Izuku-chan, th-this... This is terrible. Cruel even. Bakugou did this?" Her voice trembled while she watched with teary eyes as the skin around the edge of the starburst pattern crackled slowly and settled, tiny wisps of black dust curling away from the wound to leave behind a blatant scar against the skin and hide of Izuku's chest. "This... Kero, This isn't okay! I'm going to demand they _do_ somethi-" Rising to her feet with an uncharacteristic expression of rage breaking her expressionless visage, A pressure on her shoulder stopped Tsuyu and brought her back with a croak of surprise right into Izuku's arms as he hugged her tight.

"It-It's okay now, Tsu-chan. _**Lily/Gratitude/Hunger**_ That, That was the last time." Tsuyu wiggled around in his grip to look up at him, croaking questioningly even as she sunk into his embrace. Huffing out tiredly he tightened his arms reassuringly, bringing his tail up to wrap around her waist to comfort her as much as himself. "That was the last time I-I'm going to let Bakugou scar me. I'm done l-letting him decide what my life is. _**Pride/Hunger/Fatigue**_ No matter how much he yells and rages, I _won_ today. I proved I could do it, even if I'm a monster." Resting his chin atop her head he closed his eyes, trying to ignore the gnawing ache in his stomach while his healing slowed even further. He took a deep breath in to try and stave off the worst of the fatigue, determined to stick out at least the class- _**FOOD!**_

Izuku's head whipped up to stare at the door intently drawing the attention of his girlfriend and Shoji, who had decided to stand nearby patiently while his partner was busy. A few seconds of confused staring was broken by the cheery beep of the door opening, heralding the arrival of a cart stacked high with simple but filling foods being pushed by a masked man wearing a gloriously tall chef's hat that Izuku recognized. _"Cook Hero: Lunch Rush?"_ The scent of the veritable feast was mouthwatering and almost overwhelming to the boy, and embarrassingly hi stomach immediately voiced its complaint with a roar comparable to any he'd made during a fight. Luckily for the poor teen the hero simply laughed and brought the cart to a stop in front of him, coming around it to give them a thumbs up with a cheery voice. "Midoriya Izuku, right? Nezu said you might need this. I've also got some grub for a Yaoyorozu Momo? Oh, and here this is for you too." Handing Izuku a folded note the gourmet hero saluted jauntily as he grabbed one of the containers, heading over towards where Momo had raised her hand when he'd called her name. Pausing only long enough for curiosity to win over hunger Izuku opened the note quickly, eyes roving over the flowing but impeccably neat handwriting fast as he could.

_"Midoriya-kun, I hope this helps you recover any energy lost during your stressful class! I will be ensuring that appropriate measures will be taken in regards to Bakugou's conduct during the exercise, and likewise wish you to be at ease that there are no repercussions for your admittedly well executed disarming of the situation. Enjoy the food, and have a wonderful day!"_

_P.S. If it isn't too inconvenient, would you mind terribly coming to see me at my office after classes have finished? If you feel unable to or would rather simply rest, then feel free to postpone a meeting until tomorrow._

_Principal Nezu_

Skimming over it again and flipping it over to make sure he hadn't missed anything Izuku quickly stuffed the note into his pocket, before immediately reaching out to snag the first platter he could reach to bring it to his lap. With a startled Squeak Tsuyu found herself holding said tray filled to bursting with rice, beef cutlets, and vegetables, and she could only croak in amusement as her ravenous boyfriend ignored the utensils in favor of grabbing entire chunks of sustenance to scarf it down. Figuring she'd probably be stuck in her place for a while Tsuyu decided she may as well enjoy herself, and the next time Izuku went for a bite he found the blank faced girl holding up one of the cutlets with her amusement visible behind her expressionless gaze. _**Lily/Affection/Love**_ With a happy growl and twitching tail-tip the boy leaned forward to take the food from her fingers, careful to avoid nipping her before chewing thoroughly with a look of bliss on his face. Unnoticed by the duo several of the surrounding teens had noticed their little act, and reactions varied from the interested ranging between bemusement to adorable 'Awws' and even mild jealousy in the case of one grape headed classmate.

**"ALRIGHT CLASS! THE VILLAIN TEAM IS PREPPED, AND THE HEROES STAND READY TO INFILTRATE THEIR DASTARDLY DECIDUOUS DEN!"** With a hiss the door closed behind the returning Hero as he posed and ignored the groans at his alliterative pun, turning to stride over to the controls once more when he'd made his point. All Might paused as he passed the two currently engaged in a strange feeding ritual long enough to blink in surprise, before smiling a bit wider and continuing on to grab his clipboard from the podium. **"LET US SEE NOW HOW YOUR CLASSMATES WILL HANDLE THE CHANGE IN SCENERY. BATTLE TRIAL TWO, START! HEROES MAY ENTER THE HIDEOUT!"** Hearing the Number One's instruction to start ring out, Izuku lifted his head with cheeks puffed full of rice. Quickly swallowing he wiped his mouth and reached into an internal pocket to whip out a notebook, drawing amused stares as he attempted to split his attention between writing down notes from the monitors with one hand and continuing to feast with Tsuyu's generous help and the other. _"I've got to pay at least some attention. We're all going to be heroes, and I can't afford to fall behind! I won't miss a thing **Pride/Eager/Hungry!** "_

_-Battle Trial 2, Team B (Sato & Aoyama; Heroes) VS Team G (Koda & Uraraka; Villains), "Park"-_

"Suivez-moi mon ami! Our foes await our dazzling entrance, _rapidement_!" Sato Rikido sweat dropped as his teammate practically flounced between the trees heading deeper into the park while he followed behind, one hand hovering near his belt and sugar pouches. They'd been told by All Might to wait a certain amount of time for the signal, followed by them entering to try and find the bomb located _somewhere_ in the park. After the explosive first match neither of the boys had been keen on rushing in, just in case the villains this time felt they had to continue the instant counter attack trend. Luckily or Unluckily for them no such attack was forthcoming, and thus they found themselves carefully searching for their opponents... Well, mostly carefully, as Aoyama once again performed a sparkling pirouette. Suddenly a loud snapping of a branch brought both of them to a grinding halt facing the noise, Sato bringing up his fists and a sugar pouch while Aoyama placed his hands on his hips. 

Without warning a stinging pain raced across Sato's head, causing him to cry out as a rock impacted him with ridiculous speed. Whipping around he glared at the pink and black jumpsuit flitting between some trees, before another rock was hurled out from behind one by the girl. Quickly swatting it away he brought his sugar packet up to slam it down, instructing his teammate before the drawbacks could kick in. "Aoyama, fire at her! Back me up!" Quaffing the sugar he could feel the surge of his muscles bulging even as his mind grew foggier, the dazzling laser flying past him highlighting Uraraka's outline before she could duck behind another tree. With a roar he sprinted after her determined to catch the 'villain', deliberately shoulder checking the tree he saw her hide behind to try and startle her out. Staggering back as the trunk shuddered and creaked he grabbed around it, only to find it void of any opponents and leaving him grunting in confusion. 

A squeak from above brought his gaze ponderously upwards to meet a myriad of tiny gazes looking back at him, countless eyes staring down at him from the massed bodies of- "Squirrels?" As if his word was the signal the rodent army shrieked in unison and dove from the branches, launching themselves at the brawler as he roared in surprise and started swatting wildly as they climbed across him like a living jungle gym. So caught up in his desperate attempts to ward them off and keeping his eyes shut to protect them, he never noticed the sensation of cloth wrapping itself around his leg tightly until the squirrels seemed to vanish. 

**"BOTH HEROES HAVE BEEN CAPTURED! VILLAIN TEAM WINS!"**

Grunting in shock Sato opened his eyes and blinked away the spots to see Uraraka standing in front of him smiling, glancing down to notice the capture tape around his leg and then over to find his partner with his hands over his belly and one wrist similarly wrapped. Aoyama winced as his stomach gurgled and he smiled apologetically, nodding towards Koda who stood nearby petting the largest squirrel they'd ever seen. "Désolé pour ça, monsieur. They got moi as my tummy stopped my sparkles." Sato blinked owlishly before grumbling and slogging back towards the monitor room, pausing only long enough to give a double thumbs up towards the brunette following him and grunt approvingly. Uraraka giggled and moved to offer Koda a high five, which the boy shyly returned as she gushed about their plan working to perfection.

_-Battle Trial 3, Team F (Krisihima & Jirou; Villains) VS Team C (Tokoyami & Mineta; Heroes), "Townhouse"-_

Tokoyami sighed as he stared at the idyllic home in front of him and tried to come up with a plan to secure the bomb, while his partner.... well... "Man, it's just not faaaair!" The avian boy took a measured breath through his nose as the incessant whining of his diminutive partner continued, trying and failing to tune him out as they waited out the prep timer. "Not only do I get the edgy guy as my partner, neither of my opponents are any good either. I coulda gotten Yaoyorozu's Oppai justice! Or Ashido's Booty badassery! Or Uraraka's tight curves! But noooo, our opponents are a muscle bro and washboard. Absolutely nothing to get excited about. Am I right, Tokoyami-san?" With the audible sound of glass cracking in his head, Tokoyami was once again reminding himself that attacking his teammate probably wouldn't reflect well on his grade.

**"BATTLE TRIAL THREE, START! HEROES MAY ENTER THE HIDEOUT!"**

_" I bet I know what would though. Send him through the window. Loudly!" _Dark Shadow's mental voice was just as snarky as usual, though this time even the usually sunlight docile quirk was audibly miffed at the midget beside them. Having seen a flicker of movement behind a conveniently placed basement window, Tokoyami decided that his demon's advice was sound enough to follow. Clearing his throat loudly as he remembered the details the girl had given about her quirk, he spoke to his partner in a raised voice. "I believe that the safest course of action would be for you to scout through the basement. I saw movement in one of the upstairs windows, so you should be safest going in the front window down there, my diminutive ally!" Jolting as if he'd been knocked from whatever fantasy he'd been daydreaming about, Mineta looked to where his partner was pointing before glancing at the door then back with a grin.

"Hey man, nice thinkin'! I'll scout it out, and you do all the heavy lifting. Maybe if I impress 'em, Yaoyorozu will give me a nice reward. Man, I can almost feel the lap pillow already!" Rubbing his hands together greedily the dwarf approached the window and tested it to find it unlocked, while behind him the bird-headed student wisely took a massive step to the side. Prying it open and sticking his head inside the perverted boy continued talking, loud enough that Tokoyami could hear him from where he stood with fingers lifted up to press against his ears. "I bet I could sneak up on Ironing board and trap her, then I'd be able to- Uh-oh, uh-" With a concussive blast of force a huge sound wave blasted out of the tiny window, glass shattering as the tiny body of the insulting boy went flying backwards to smack into a conveniently placed tree. _"Home Run! Cute chick: 1, Perv: 0!"_ Removing his fingers from his ears Tokoyami managed to catch the end of an angry shout, the words '-not a washboard, you FREAK!' ringing out across the street. The bird headed teen glanced down at his unconscious ally... then shrugged and headed towards the door leading in to the house while mentally questioning his quirk. _"Wait, what dost thou mean, Cute girl?"_

**"MINETA IS UNCONSCIOUS, AND REMOVED FROM THE MATCH!"**

Meanwhile the two villains had returned to their stronghold of choice, having decided that their best bet was to hole up in the dark basement where they could funnel their opponents down a single hallway. Kirishima couldn't help but wince when Mineta had been blown away, but quietly felt that the boy had gotten what he deserved. Wisely he'd decided to keep any comments about un-manliness to himself as his partner seethed and raged before she managed to calm herself down, and now they waited semi-patiently in the hallway leading from the stairs towards their bomb in the room behind them. It was only a minute or two later that Jirou lifted her head and hissed to him, pointing towards the stairs and whispering. "Here he comes dude. He's paused at the top the stairs." He watched as the girl's agile earlobe moved to the concrete walls of the basement, jabbing the jack into it as the lights overhead flickered somewhat ominously and she frowned in concentration. "What is he doing... It sounds like he's messing with something. I think it's the-" With a loud clunk and whir the lights cut out, plunging them into darkness as the girl sighed exasperatedly. "The breaker box. Crap." 

" **Perhaps not the word I would have chosen, but its use is most apt for your situation.** " Both of the Villains jumped as the voice echoed down the hallways towards them, the pitch seeming to reverberate and echo off the walls in strange ways. The creak of the staircase was loud in the darkness, each measured step accenting their accelerating breathing as they felt a looming sense of dread. **"I've no doubt you thought your choice to be a strategic one. Funnel your opponents into a small space, keep them from surrounding thy vulnerable selves.** " The creaking gave way to to the sharp tap of boots on concrete, followed almost immediately by a sound that set their spines shivering and teeth on edge. A sinister scraping like somebody dragging a knife across the walls echoed shrilly, growing closer as the voice continued. " **Unfortunately for you, thy information was lacking. You see, both I and my inner demon were born in the shadows. We were molded by them. We did not fight in the daylight until well after our youth...** " Ahead of them they watched as a vague silhouette appeared in the darkness... before two baleful yellow eyes the size of hub caps snapped open to glare at them, and two voices shrieked as one in a cacophonous war cry. **"And by then, it was only BLINDING TO US!"**

The rest of the of the footage of the third battle trial could be summed up as a series of snapshots: The occasional flash of movement as somebody passed a window, the sound of screams of terror and a roaring beast audible even from All Might's earpiece, and one terrifying sequence of All Might remembering to turn on the night vision mode only to capture the exact moment Kirishima was dragged backwards out of sight by a massive clawed hand, screaming and digging furrows in the ground with his hardened fingers before vanishing around the corner. All Might took one look at the now empty screen... and slowly reached over to turn the night vision off, clearing his throat as Tokoyami appeared beside the weapon and placed a hand on it. 

**"Ahem... THE WEAPON HAS BEEN RETRIEVED, HEROES WIN!"**

_-Battle Trial 4, Team E (Todoroki & Kaminari; Heroes) VS Team I (Iida & Ashido; Villains), "Office Building"-_

Iida pushed his glasses further up his nose as the lights reflected off of the lenses, observing the faux bomb placed firmly at the center of the fifth floor of their hideout. "Everyone else has done an admirable job at their roles. We must strive to live up to their expectations and examples! Come Ashido-san, we must become-" He turned to face the entrance to the room as he gave his best impression of a villain's leer, while the pink-haired alien hopped up beside him and pulled her mouth open with both pointers to make an evil face, chiming in with him as he continued. " _EXTREMELY EVIL!"_ They managed to hold the pose for about four seconds before the girl couldn't hold in her giggles anymore, cracking up into laughter as she held her belly and Iida chopped his hand at her rebukingly whilst replacing his helmet. Unbeknownst to them, a certain candy cane haired teen had just placed his hand on the wall even as All Might shouted out.

**"BATTLE TRIAL FOUR, START! HEROES MAY ENTER THE-"**

Before he could finish his sentence a massive crack filled the air, and with a low roar ice rushed over the entirety of the building in a flash freeze. The two villains immediately found themselves stuck to the floor almost ankle deep, Mina starting to shiver as the air dropped several tens of degrees quickly. "Wh-what gives? This is n-nuts! Isn't he g-g-going a little overkill?!?" Iida reached up to rub his arms as he nodded in stiff agreement, flexing the engines in his legs as he tried to turn them over. From beside him a hissing and cracking filled the air, and he looked over to see steam rising up from the ice as Mina carefully dripped acid from her finger tips to melt her way out. With a roar his engines fired and started to melt the icy bonds with their heat, his mind working even faster as he tried to figure out a new plan. The distant sound of a door's loud opening jogged him from his thoughts, followed immediately by a sudden inspiration as the image of a green haired monster smashing through a wall flitted through his mind.

"Ashido-s-san. I have an Idea! Once you've melted yourself out, h-h-hide near the door, but behind a pillar. Have your tape ready." Glancing up at him to argue Mina stopped as she watched the determination fill his face, huffing as she finished breaking her feet out of the hypothermic hydro hold. Quickly moving towards one of the pillars she began quietly breathing into her hands to try and warm up, pulling her roll of capture tape out to hold in one hand as she stayed out of sight. Iida carefully regulated his temperature to weaken but not fully break the ice around him, before idling his legs as he settled down to wait.... coldly. 

It took another three and a half minutes for anything to change, but soon enough they could hear the steady crunching of a single set of footsteps growing closer. Like a phantom a red light appeared in the doorway, the apparition resolving itself into the ice covered costume of Todoroki as he exhaled a puff of vapor. Pausing in the doorway he appraised the room with a roving eye, glancing at Iida and the bomb but somehow not at the pillar before continuing into the room and commenting. "Apologies. But you never had a chance, Iida-san. I'll be taking this win."

"Indeed, Todoroki-san. You appear to have the upper hand." Iida responded evenly as the boy stepped closer without care, his covered eyes measuring each step as a flicker of movement behind the boy drew a glance at the pink hair of his teammate peeking out. Just as the Icy teen entered Iida's range he began to turn, almost as if sensing something amiss behind him. "But I cannot let you win so easily!" Far too late to matter he turned back when Iida's engines roared like a jet, the Ice shattering away like raindrops as the tall boy's armored leg impacted his hastily raised guard and sent him hurtling backwards. "NOW ASHIDO-SAN!" 

"GOT IT~!" Lurching out from behind the pillar on the icy surface, Mina let out a battle cry and wrapped her tape around the passing boy and pulling him to a stop. Todoroki was so startled by the sudden upheaval of his advantage, he could only stare blankly at the white band wrapped around his torso and arms as All Might came over the communicators.

**"YOUNG TODOROKI HAS BEEN CAPTURED! HE IS OUT!"**

"Yahoo! We did it Robo-Iida!" Gallivanting across the ice to her partner Mina raised her hand for a victory high five, to which Iida stared before begrudgingly lifting his own to meet her. Her enthusiasm seemed to be infectious however, as he found himself loosening the tension in his shoulders almost unconsciously. The acid quirked girl twirled around and skipped towards the door, before stopping and holding out a hand towards Iida. "Oh! I just had a great Idea! Gimme your tape, Robo-Iida!"

"As long as your Idea is within the rules of the exercise! I am also not a robot!" He handed her his tape with one hand, whilst the other began rapid firing chops in her direction as she just giggled and walked out while pushing her communicator and saying something to All Might. Huffing disapprovingly the legacy student turned to his captured opponent to check him over, finding him to be still staring at the tape in disbelief. Moving to assist him he held out a hand to help him up, speaking up in concern as he did so. "Todoroki-san, I must insist that you rise from that cold floor! If I recall correctly, you do not have a great deal of resistance to cold, therefore you should-" The boy in question seemed to snap out of it, reaching up to smack away the hand before pulling himself to his feet and moving towards one of the corners broodingly, leaving behind a sighing Iida to wait for his exuberant teammate's plan.

Kaminari had just entered the second floor with roughly three minutes left on the clock, nervously looking around as he hurried forward. "Aw man, how the heck did Todoroki get taken out? After acting all cool out front, he goes and pulls this act, maaan." Hurrying towards the stairs the electric blonde paused at the sound of footsteps coming towards him, and he hurriedly pulled back to the corner with sparking hands held at the ready. Moments later a shivering Mina hurried out of the stairwell and started towards the other side, noticing Kaminari almost immediately she let out a sound of relief and hurried towards him with her arms wrapped tightly around her.

"Oh thank the gods, Kami-kun. Its so cold in here! I am DONE with this, I'm dropping out." Blinking in confusion Kaminari let his electricity die out and dropped his arms, even as Mina got right up in his space chattering whilst shivering. "Todoroki doesn't really hold back, does he? G-guh! Hey, Iida's on the fifth floor with bomb, but can you get me outta here first? I'm gonna freeze my knockers off at this rate!" Kaminari's brain stalled at that and his eyes shot down to where her arms squeezed her bust slightly, whipping his eyes back up as a brilliant blush rushed to his head and he stuttered some sort of affirmative and turned to lead the way. From behind him Mina made happy sound and lurched forward to hug him from behind, wrapping both arms around his neck as she pressed her chest to his back and leaning to whisper into his ear while he was stuttering madly. "Thank you Kami-kuuuun~! Bye bye now!" 

"Huh? But you said- _ACK!_ " His confusion was short lived as the girl ran her arms back with a sharp motion, and he suddenly found his airway cut off by a tightly wrapped piece of fabric around his neck. His mind went blank as his breathing stopped, panic enveloping him before the ringing in his ears resolved into All Might's voice.

**"YOUNG KAMINARI HAS BEEN CAPTURED! VILLAIN TEAM WINS! YOUNG ASHIDO PLEASE LET HIM GO NOW."**

Instantly he felt the pressure on his neck vanish, and he gulped in a massive breath of air before whipping around to stare in horror at the girl. Mina grinned and gave him two victory signs, sticking her tongue out as she teased him. "Next time dont get distracted by boobs, _Kami-kuuuun~!_ " With a last jaunty wave the girl wandered off towards her teammate, leaving Kaminari to stare after her for several silent moments. By the time All Might gently reminded him to head back to the monitoring room, Kaminari had come to a very important conclusion: _"Women can be freaking **terrifying!** "_

_-x-_

The last remnants of food had been cleaned out sometime after Tokoyami had begun his 'revelry in the dark', and the rest of the battles up to the present Izuku spent muttering away at each reveal of their classmate's quirks and prowess. His notebook was filled with snippets on their skills, the effectiveness they'd shown, how they could improve, and theories he had on why or how their scents correlated with their quirks. Even Tsuyu had lost track of where exactly in his thought process he was, despite her usually adept skills in keeping up with his muttering storms. As her boyfriend had nerded out over their fellow heroes in training though, Tsuyu had found her mind wandering to darker places. As the food dwindled her distractions had as well, until she was only semi-focused on the battles happening in front of her.

_"Kero Kero. I'm... so angry. At All Might. At Bakugou. At everything. Everything just keeps hurting us. It's.... **Frustrating** , kero." _No amount of rationalizing or reasoning with her anger had managed to abate it, and only for the sake of helping the adorable green bean beneath her was she able to keep such a tight reign on the simmering heat. She watched as Todoroki callously lost his team the match, as Mina tricked Kaminari, as they gathered around to debate MVP's, and Tsuyu could only feel an intense anticipation coiling hotly in her gut. It was a feeling so foreign to the girl that she couldnt help but frown as she considered it, an expression that didn't go unnoticed by the now attentive boyfriend unit beneath her. Her troubled thoughts were interrupted by a deep vibrating rumble, and the arms around her tightened reassuringly as Izuku pressed his face to the top of her head to comfort her. "Tsu-chan, what's got you so worried?" 

".... It's not-" Her words of reassurance were cut off by another growl, this time a surprisingly playful sound from the larger boy as he insisted she tell him. Croaking softly she considered the pros and cons of telling, before deciding to just share. "I'm just so... angry, kero. I'm frustrated with U.A. and All Might and Bakugou. I'm tired of you getting hurt because somebody else thinks they're better or that its necessary or okay. " Her words were soft, but passionate, and Izuku could tell that the emotions eating at her had all but dissolved her usual dissociative air as she continued. "It's a new feeling for me, Kero. I don't know if I like it... but I know that I don't want to let it control me." He huffed in understanding and amusement, nuzzling her hair as he formed a response.

"You're sounding a lot like me. _**Anger/Hunt/Lily/Safe**_ Always struggling for control feels like trying to grasp a ball with my fingertips alone. But the ball is soaked in oil, and you're wearing mittens." The comparison was so bizarre to the girl that she c ouldn't help the giggle bubbling up from her throat, a slight croaking laugh joined by his rumble that dispelled the heavy smog that settled over their headspace. As the laughter tapered off Izuku coughed slightly, before dipping his head down to press his lips against her cheek in a kiss before hiding on top of her head as she ribbitted in surprise. "Just remember who you are, and I'm sure you'll be fine. Such an amazing woman is better than an angry animal like Bakugou." Snorting at the not so subtle dig at the anger-management issues posterchild, Tsuyu relaxed back into his arms as the worry faded a bit. The reprieve was short lived as a shadow loomed over them, both greenettes looking up to see Shoji standing in front of them. Behind the boy they realized that the last two teams were preparing to leave for their match, and Tsuyu pushed herself reluctantly from the comfortable grasp of her boyfriend's arms and tail. 

"It's time, Asui-san. We've been assigned the last location, the "Town hall." Shoji's calm voice from the duplicated mouth was a grounding influence, and when he turned to nod at Izuku the girl could see something pass between them wordlessly in the moment when he nodded back. Tilting her head curiously she croaked and leaned over to plant a kiss on Izuku's cheek, returning the flavor and drawing a blush from boy as his tail curled and tried to wag against the seat beside him. Turning she walked over to stand beside All Might with hands held in front of her, her taciturn partner moving to stand at her shoulder like a reassuring rock to press her back against. Brief though their conversations had been, Tsuyu knew that Shoji was the kind of person she could work alongside with next to no extra effort. Following along behind the Number One she considered their opponents, Watching the second tailed teen as he tightened the belt on his Gi. Beside him walked the dark haired boy with tape dispensers on his arms, her memory providing their names Ojiro and Sero respectively. One opponent had a tail and wore a martial arts uniform and the other could sling high strength tape, which honestly seemed to be the most balanced matchup between teams they'd seen yet.

The building they stopped in front of was almost out of place in how grandiose they'd built it, large marble pillars holding up the roof of the entryway like the teeth of a dragon's maw. Beyond the large plate glass windows flanking the spinning doors, they could see an enormous foyer leading towards an elaborate double door that no doubt blocked access to the more secure areas of the building. All Might left them out front with the usual time limit warnings before leading the two villains inside to perform their setup, and Tsuyu's examination of the nearby area discovered that there was a blind corner they could stage behind to avoid being seen from the hideout. Like the rhythm of a song her anger flowed beneath her mind, and as she looked around the first glimmers of a plan began to surface. "Shoji-san... If I told you I wanted to win this by beating the villains, what would you say, Kero?"

Beside her she could see as the multiarmed giant considered her words carefully, his one visible eye measure her with an inscrutable gaze before giving his answer. "I suppose... I'd ask if you wanted to do it loudly, or quietly?" His unquestioning faith in her apparent plan gave her pause for a moment, and she tilted her head to look at him curiously prompting him to continue. "You're clearly not a fool, and even when in the throes of emotion you and Midoriya seem to be very proficient planners. Even if I didn't feel kinship with you for our circumstance, I would follow your plan unless it was suicidal." She croaked in understanding as a rare glimpse of a smile graced her face, before she turned to look at a nearby mailbox thoughtfully and began to tell him her plan.

Back in the monitoring room Izuku watched as the two mutants plotted together, and when his girlfriend turned to point out the key pieces of her plan the boy couldn't help but chuckle. _"I think the villains are gonna be in trouble. I think Tsu-chan is wanting to work off some of her energy. **Lily/Strength/Anger/Admiration** ... She's kind of hot when she's angry- wait wha-what WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?" _The rest of the class were startled when the large teen suddenly smacked himself with both hands, cheeks stinging as he tried to banish the suddenly inappropriate thought. Pulling up his notebook and pencil he watched as their teach returned to his post, coughing slightly before clearing his throat and bringing his hand up to his earpiece with a smile that Izuku mirrored. This was going to be so much fun, he could tell.

_-Battle Trial 5, Team H (Shoji & Asui; Heroes) VS Team J (Sero & Ojiro; Villains), "Town Hall"-_

**"BATTLE TRIAL FIVE, START! HEROES MAY ENTER THE HIDEOUT!"**

The announcement rang out over their earpieces and the hidden speakers in the building, leaving a pregnant silence behind as the Villain team stood guard. After a brief discussion and search of the main offices, the two boys had decided that the best method would be to simply hide the bomb in the first office behind the main double doors of the foyer. The only other way in to the offices was visible from the foyer itself, and any attempts to enter through the vents would be either be too slow or loud enough that they would be able to hear it. Thus after applying copious amounts of tape to the doors to ensure that neither opponent could simply blow past them to snag the bomb, Ojiro had stationed himself in front of the doors atop the couple steps leading up to it where he had seated himself to perform some breathing exercises. Above him on the second floor that doubled as a walkway around the main hall, Sero patrolled back and forth between the entrway and above their doors. Only a minute had passed before the angular teen stopped above Ojiro, frowning as he squinted out through the huge plate windows opposite them before calling down haltingly. "Um, hey bud? Do you see that thing moving towards us? It looks like a... mailbox? Oh shIT, LOOK OU-"

_**CRAAASH** _

With a mighty impact the plate glass window shattered into hundreds of pieces that fell like glittering snow, Ojiro's eyes shooting open as the world seemed to slow down in his shock. Holding a flattened mailbox in front of him like a riot shield Shoji had bodily charged the building, and as the light reflected from the shards cascading down the tailed boy could see the silver-haired giant begin to rotate his body. The turn revealed the wide unblinking eyes of Tsuyu clinging to his back closely and gripping on to two of his left arms, even as Shoji continued the wild spin to build momentum before hurling the shield like a discuss directly at Sero above him. With a scream of panic Sero threw himself to the floor to avoid the projectile, while the octopus like hero trainee simultaneously extended his left arms to fling his partner upwards to land gracefully crouched sideways on one of the many pillars encircling the foyer.

Time seemed to speed back up as Shoji skidded to a stop in the center of the room with knees slightly bent, before straightening up to walk calmly towards the still stunned Ojiro while Tsuyu hopped across the pillars in the direction of the scrambling tape user. Pushing himself to his feet on auto-pilot Ojiro strode down the steps to stand in Shoji's way and drop into his karate stance... only for his eyes to widen as the other teen mimicked him with a much lower center of gravity, right set of arms rising up to guard his face and torso loosely while his left were low, the taller boy's legs bent at the knee as he crouched down in a form he recognized. "You know Silat?"

"... Sort of." Was the only response he got before the taller teen lunged and his reflexes kicked in, bringing a hand up to divert a looping punch and a hop back to avoid several follow-ups from his extra arms. Meanwhile above the suddenly dueling martial artists Sero pushed himself to his feet with a groan, glancing behind him at the flattened mailbox buried nearly halfway into the wall a good head and shoulders abover where it might have hit him. A soft croak from behind him caused Sero to whip around with arms raised, coming face to face with Tsuyu crouched menacingly on the pillar a scant fifteen feet from him. The frog girl stared at him with a blank expression that somehow managed to send shivers through his spine, before she spoke up at a conversational level.

"Kero Kero. Sorry Sero-san. I'm feeling a little ticked off at the moment." The deadpan delivery promised the boy a world of pain, and how he knew that he didn't really feel like finding out as a drop of sweat dripped down his neck. The stalemate was broken when Tsuyu inched forward, Sero immediately shooting off a strand of tape and sprinting to the side to clear the danger area. Launching from the pillar the girl easily avoided the adhesive to land on the spot he'd just been, her tongue lashing out like a whip towards his legs that left the ground just in time to leap over the attack and off the railing. Latching on to one of the pillars with his tape Sero swung out over the foyer, spinning and firing back at the girl as she gave chase.

The battle raged back and forth for tense minutes, Ojiro and Shoji trading blows as the blonde boy was steadily pushed backwards, while Sero attempted to pull of progressively more difficult maneuvers to avoid the prehensile tongue of the frog girl. It also helped that she could launch herself from the pillars far easier than he could, his method requiring prior momentum to be effective at moving himself. In the case of Ojiro his greatest difficulty was the bizarre amount of limbs his opponent had, Shoji mixing up his attacks by throwing anywhere from a simple two fists and palms at him to a mind boggling six or more limbs all striking nearly at once. It was only his lifetimes worth of martial arts training and his own advantageous limb that kept the tailed fighter afloat, keeping just enough breathing room to maneuver out of otherwise fatal positions. Shoji simply continued his assault without pause, maintaining an even albeit exerted breathing rate with every move he made.

A delicate and tipping balance could never last, and the turning point came with a cry of pain from the Tape quirk user. Tsuyu had led with another tongue attack in an attempt to bait the boy out into the open foyer, and when he'd leapt she'd immediately intercepted with a flying tackle to his torso with her shoulder. The cry was the distraction that broke Ojiro's stance and in a flurry of limbs Shoji moved in for the kill, his right arms blowing past the smaller male's guard to spin him around while his leg swept his feet from under him. In a disorienting grapple Ojiro found his chest agains the hard marble floor and his neck forced back by two hands on his chin, while his back was pinned by a knee and each arm twisted almost to painful angles by several other hands. Even his tail was effectively nullified, Shoji's right lower arm have grown an extra forearm of length to wrap it around it with a grip on the end. "Yield. You've lost." Ojiro could only choke out an affirmative, knowing full well that if Shoji wanted to there was nothing he could do stop the man from snapping his neck.

Simultaneously to the pin by Shoji Tsuyu transitioned her tackle into a roll, tongue retracting in time for her hand to force Sero away and off course. Using the momentum of her leap and now her rolling motion, she brought her leg down in a punishing axe kick to the teen's shoulder and tore another shout. Unable to effectively control his momentum Sero crashed full tilt into the nearest pillar with a painful crunch, air wheezing from his mouth as he comically peeled off of it to thump to the floor. Blinking the stars from his eyes he looked to see the frog girl land on the pillar with a croak, her eyes watching him closely while her tongue stayed poised like a striking snake. Coughing the boy raised both hands slowly, choking out a few words as he tried to smile disarmingly. "Ya- _HACK_ Ya got me, hehe, ow." Tsuyu stared at him a moment longer before retracting her tongue with a slurp and hopping down beside him, reaching out a hand to help him up as the final announcement echoed through the trashed hall.

**"BOTH VILLAINS HAVE SURRENDERED! HEROES WIIIIIIIN!!!"**

Back in the control room Izuku looked down at the notebook he'd just filled three different pages of off that fight alone, then back up to the monitor showing his girlfriend helping her opponent up and checking on him. There were several thoughts running through his head as he watched her, some of them inappropriate, and all of them filled with admiration, but the only thing he could think to say drew cackling laughter from the nearby alien and giggles from every other female in the area.

"I am never going to make her angry. _**Lily/Pride/Attraction/Fear.**_ _"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There ya have it!! The Battle Trials are done done done!   
> Like I mentioned in the before notes, its been a while. My muse decided to take a vacation, then apparently had to mental quarantine before she'd sing to me again. Really It's been another rollercoaster of emotions for my real life, but I'm just glad to be back in it.   
> I just wanted to individually thank each and every reader who's supported my work. Thank you. You're all amazing, and quite frankly this story and the people I've met and apparently influenced for the better through it are some of the best things in my life right now. So Happy Anniversary of MH:G, and I hope you have a fantastic week. Plus Ultra my Ducklings!
> 
> Come and join the Goliath's Nest! https://discord.gg/5RhU3aM

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt at writing Fan fiction. Criticism is welcome, but if you don't like it, then just dont read it! Thanks for your time!


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